Ethical issues in voluntary kidney donation

ABSTRACT

Voluntary organ donation is considered to be a moral act as this may save life of a moribund patient. With advancement in technology both in the field of medicine [pharmacology, anesthesiology and surgery] and nursing care, increasing number of patients with end stage renal disease are surviving with improved quality of life. Though such a change in disease outcome is appreciable but a host of ethical issues have surfaced in relation to voluntary live kidney donation. Many countries have made legislation in addition to awareness creation programs so that menace of unethical practices could be addressed. Recently a news has been published in daily Dawn Karachi [June 2, 2009] where a voluntary Pakistani donor has approached the court of law in Lahore with a desire to donate his kidney to a Saudi national. Such cases are rarity in Pakistani courts. This article discusses various ethical values that can be debated while legal issues are left to the court to decide