The use of anencephalic neonates as organ donors

Article Abstract:

The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs of the American Medical Association recommends allowing organ donations from babies born with anencephaly while they are still alive. These infants, who are born with a partial brain, generally survive less than a week. Their brain stems permit breathing, vital organ functions, movements, sucking and crying, but they never gain consciousness. The AMA proposes that anencephalic babies be exempt from the dead donor rule, which requires persons to be pronounced dead before organ donation. Critics counter that this exemption would encourage indiscriminate organ removal from other severely disabled patients. There is a serious shortage of organs for infants, who would benefit from vital organs the neonates could provide such as kidneys, liver and heart. The discussion to donate organs should come first from the parents, who should be fully informed before consenting.

Prognosis

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The use of anencephalic infants as organ sources: a critique

Article Abstract:

Physicians have stopped taking organs for transplant from infants born without bones in the skull for several reasons. The infants are not consenting donors, and there is concern that the practice would extend to infants with less severe conditions. Also, such infants are usually provided with intensive care, which preserves brain activity. Absense of brain activity allows the doctors to remove patients from life support and begin the removal of organs for donation. Data suggests that very few organs from anencephalic infants would actually benefit other children. Loma Linda University Medical Center, the only US medical center with a program for harvesting organs from anencephalic infants, suspended its program in July 1988. It cited ethical as well as practical concerns as the reasoning behind its suspension.

Abnormalities, Physiological aspects, Infants (Newborn), Newborn infants, Fetal tissue transplantation

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Reexamining Organ Transplantation

Article Abstract:

The re-authorization of the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) of 1982 should involve doctors, members of the public, patients awaiting an organ transplant and organ procurement organizations. A survey of organ procurement organizations found that many do not follow the wishes of the deceased patient if family members object.

Informed consent (Medical law), Informed consent

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