Ethics Forum

Ethical Debate Forum – Organ Donation

Organ Donation – How can we increase the number of organs available for transplantation.


Opt In
Current system
Donor card
National register


Opt Out
Proposed system – some countries in Europe use this.
Presume consent for donation unless specifically denied.




Some questions to consider:

Who owns a body after death
Should family be able to override a decision made by the deceased – ie if they have a donor card or are on a register.
What other options are there to increase organ availability? Should you be able to pay for an organ.
Would an opt in system actually make more organs available?

Ethical principles to consider :

Autonomy - the right to make decisions about your own body. Does this persist after death?
Beneficence – do good
Non-maleficence – do no harm (does this apply to live donors?)
Justice – how do we ensure that resources are shared fairly. Will all people have equal access to organs? How are choices made about who will receive an organ.