ORGAN TRANSPLANTSORGAN TRANSPLANTS

FACTFACT

IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO TRANSPLANT 25 DIFFERENT TRANSPLANT 25 DIFFERENT ORGANS AND TISSUES:ORGANS AND TISSUES:

Including kidney , pancreas, Including kidney , pancreas, heart lung, cornea and liverheart lung, cornea and liver

From one person to anotherFrom one person to another These operations were These operations were

revolutionary when first carried revolutionary when first carried out they are now routine.out they are now routine.

Hot debate or not?Hot debate or not?

Last 20yrs able to transplantLast 20yrs able to transplant

New techniques emerging all the New techniques emerging all the timetime

offers hope to thousands of offers hope to thousands of people from greatly improved life people from greatly improved life style to longer life style to longer life

At the same time these At the same time these techniques have introduced techniques have introduced debate with regards to our debate with regards to our attitude to the dead body, the attitude to the dead body, the scarcity of available organs and scarcity of available organs and the use of animal organs and the use of animal organs and tissue in the future.tissue in the future.

At the moment more people At the moment more people need organ transplants than need organ transplants than organs availableorgans available

It is a lottery for people.It is a lottery for people.

For the system to work more For the system to work more people need to donate people need to donate

Two kinds of OTTwo kinds of OT

1.Transplants in which the donor is 1.Transplants in which the donor is livingliving

Other than bone marrow transplants Other than bone marrow transplants this is usually done in the case of this is usually done in the case of kidney failure.kidney failure.

There must be a perfect match between There must be a perfect match between donor and recipient for this to be donor and recipient for this to be possible.possible.

The person giving the kidney can The person giving the kidney can live normally as long as the live normally as long as the remaining kidney stays healthy.remaining kidney stays healthy.

In 1989 it became illegal for In 1989 it became illegal for someone to be paid to donate a someone to be paid to donate a kidney in the UK, although it still kidney in the UK, although it still happens in other places e.g. happens in other places e.g. IndiaIndia

2. Transplants in which the 2. Transplants in which the donor has just died.donor has just died.

This may take place after someone This may take place after someone has died in a car accident.has died in a car accident.

Many people carry donor cards Many people carry donor cards giving permission for their giving permission for their organs to be taken after death.organs to be taken after death.

In some cases their immediate In some cases their immediate relatives given permission.relatives given permission.

For the organ to be useful For the organ to be useful however, transplantation needs to however, transplantation needs to take place very soon after death take place very soon after death and this makes it a very difficult , and this makes it a very difficult , emotional experience for surviving emotional experience for surviving relatives to come to terms with.relatives to come to terms with.

ARGUMENTS FOR OTARGUMENTS FOR OT

There is no risk to dead donorsThere is no risk to dead donors

The death of someone can give The death of someone can give new life to someone else.new life to someone else.

It is a ‘last chance’ solution for It is a ‘last chance’ solution for many people. If they do not have many people. If they do not have a transplant they will die. a transplant they will die.

The donor makes a contribution The donor makes a contribution to society because the recipient to society because the recipient has the chance of a new lifehas the chance of a new life

Anything else? What do you Anything else? What do you think?think?

ARGUMENTS AGAINST OTARGUMENTS AGAINST OT

It is sometimes difficult to define It is sometimes difficult to define death. Many people are against death. Many people are against taking organs form brain dead taking organs form brain dead patients.patients.

If the donor is living there is If the donor is living there is some risk involvedsome risk involved

It is sometimes difficult or very It is sometimes difficult or very upsetting to obtain permission upsetting to obtain permission for an organ to be used form for an organ to be used form relatives so soon after death.relatives so soon after death.

Transplant operation are very Transplant operation are very expensive and take the financial expensive and take the financial resources away from other resources away from other medical cases.medical cases.

What is meant by giving ‘free What is meant by giving ‘free consent’ to having ones’ organs consent’ to having ones’ organs used?used?

Anything else? What do you Anything else? What do you think?think?

Religions and OTReligions and OT

CHRISTIANITYCHRISTIANITY Most Christian groups support Most Christian groups support

the donation of organs seeing the donation of organs seeing this as a gift of life from one this as a gift of life from one person to another. person to another.

It is also not seen as a problem It is also not seen as a problem due to their beliefs of eternal life due to their beliefs of eternal life where the soul leaves the body where the soul leaves the body at death.at death.

Religions and OTReligions and OT

ISLAMISLAM Muslims may experience a Muslims may experience a

dilemma as the body is seen as dilemma as the body is seen as the possession of Allah both the possession of Allah both before and after death.before and after death.

Although this is a position that Although this is a position that has changed in recent years as has changed in recent years as society has grown more used to society has grown more used to organ transplants taking place.organ transplants taking place.