Organ Transplantation Research Paper
Chao Peng
Professor Rob Drummond
WR 121 English Composition II of Oregon State University
22 February 2013
Should a Prisoner Be on the Waiting List of Organ Transplant?
When both a prisoner and a non-criminal need an organ transplant, how can a doctor make the decision? Doctors have an ethical duty to save all patients. No matter what kind of patients they encounter, a cruel killer or an innocent victim, they should treat them in the same way. In many Hong Kong movies about gangsters, doctors save criminals by pure purpose of redemption and they are my idols. A doctor should focus on his duty, place the most deadly ill patients on the waiting list first and then try his best to care for other patients until the next opportunity. When it comes to transplant, a prisoner is a good candidate because he meets all requirements. He is badly ill. His life is regulated by prison staff and is drug-, alcohol-free. He will be healthy again and prison staffs will not need to worry about his disease. But opponents focus on the background of patients and future benefits they will bring. These opponents are taxpayers and patients as well as their families and supporting networks. They do a lot for society and will do even more in the future while prisoners must stay in prison at great taxpayer cost. Also prisoners have violated their obligations and have lost some human rights like freedom. And many prisoners have been alcoholics and drug addicts and have ruined their health. Therefore, they don’t deserve transplants. If they are granted a transplant, others’ opportunity will be taken. Possibly an important leader or a beloved family member dies. Society, families and friends will lose a lot. After I shallowly analyzed the transplant case, I became really confused because no matter what a doctor chooses, it seems half good, half bad. So I had to ask a question, when a prisoner and a noncriminal patient need transplant, who should be placed on the organ transplant waiting
Professor Rob Drummond
WR 121 English Composition II of Oregon State University
22 February 2013
Should a Prisoner Be on the Waiting List of Organ Transplant?
When both a prisoner and a non-criminal need an organ transplant, how can a doctor make the decision? Doctors have an ethical duty to save all patients. No matter what kind of patients they encounter, a cruel killer or an innocent victim, they should treat them in the same way. In many Hong Kong movies about gangsters, doctors save criminals by pure purpose of redemption and they are my idols. A doctor should focus on his duty, place the most deadly ill patients on the waiting list first and then try his best to care for other patients until the next opportunity. When it comes to transplant, a prisoner is a good candidate because he meets all requirements. He is badly ill. His life is regulated by prison staff and is drug-, alcohol-free. He will be healthy again and prison staffs will not need to worry about his disease. But opponents focus on the background of patients and future benefits they will bring. These opponents are taxpayers and patients as well as their families and supporting networks. They do a lot for society and will do even more in the future while prisoners must stay in prison at great taxpayer cost. Also prisoners have violated their obligations and have lost some human rights like freedom. And many prisoners have been alcoholics and drug addicts and have ruined their health. Therefore, they don’t deserve transplants. If they are granted a transplant, others’ opportunity will be taken. Possibly an important leader or a beloved family member dies. Society, families and friends will lose a lot. After I shallowly analyzed the transplant case, I became really confused because no matter what a doctor chooses, it seems half good, half bad. So I had to ask a question, when a prisoner and a noncriminal patient need transplant, who should be placed on the organ transplant waiting
Cited: ACLU National Prison Project. "Know Your Rights". American Civil Liberty Union. July 2012. http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/know_your_rights_--_medical_mental_health_and_dental_july_2012.pdf Center for bioethics. "Ethics of Organ Transplantation". University of Minnesota. Feb 2004. http://www.ahc.umn.edu/img/assets/26104/Organ_Transplantation.pdf Douglas, Kate. "Prison Inmates are Constitutionally Entitled to Organ Transplants - so Now what?" Saint Louis University Law Journal 49 (2005): 539-1229. Print. Johnson, Keith. "Prison Industry Stealing U.S. Jobs". American Free Press. August 2012. http://americanfreepress.net/?p=5780 Kahn, Jeffrey. "The Ethics of Organ Transplantation for Prisoners." Seminars in dialysis 16.5 (2003): 365-6. Print. Talvi, Silja. "Cashing in on Cons." In these times. 4 Feb 2005: 16-19. Print. http://inthesetimes.com/article/1924 UC Davis Transplant Center .UNOS and the Waiting List, 13 Feb 2013. http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/transplant/learnabout/learn_unos_waitlist.html Wright, Jessica. "Medically Necessary Organ Transplants for Prisoners: Who is Responsible for Payment?" Boston College Law Review 39 (1998): 1251-. Print.