Medical Ethics: Organ Transplant Dilemma

Who should receive the organ transplant and why?

You have two patients who desperately need an organ transplant but there is only one organ available. One is an 18-year-old male who has been admitted to the emergency room multiple times due to overdose. The second patient is a 60-year-old female who is an outstanding member of the community, volunteering her time to the poor and needy.

Final Answer:

The decision on who should receive organ transplantation depends on medical considerations including compatibility, the urgency of need, patient health, and potential for successful transplant rather than personal history or social contribution.

Explanation:

The subject of this question pertains to organ transplantation and biomedical ethics. Medical professionals grapple with such dilemmas often and use well-established metrics in determining such decisions.

Regardless of personal history or social contribution, the primary factors for allocating organs include blood ABO compatibility, a patient's health status, and time on the waitlist. The immune system's potential for rejecting the organ and the period that a patient has been on the waitlist are also critical concerns.

These factors indicate an attempt to give the organ where it's most likely to be successful and where the need is greatest. Age at times can factor into these decisions as younger patients often have a better chance of survival post-procedure and a longer life expectancy. However, this doesn't indicate that the 18-year-old is automatically chosen over the 60-year-old. It would still depend upon other medical concerns or issues.

Other factors, such as lifestyle considerations (like drug abuse) can factor into the decision, not as a moral judgment, but as a consideration on how it may impact the success of the transplant.