Even to be “slightly alive” is still to be alive. If the language of the UDDA ends up being changed to allow for a declaration of brain death even with continued hypothalamic functioning, individuals who are not-quite-dead will be treated as if they were already dead.
Read MoreRemarkable advancements have been made in "neutering" pig organs so they no longer provoke a powerful immune response in humans, and striking progress has been made in extending survival times for xenografts…
Read MoreWhen it comes to extracting cells or organs from the corpse of a deceased child at an abortion clinic, however, these ethical requirements for consent cannot legitimately be satisfied.
Read MoreAt the end of the day, we want people to become organ donors, not organ vendors.
Read MoreAlthough there are not any fundamental moral objections to donating our bodies to science, certain details of how the donation is carried out are important.
Read MoreState-facilitated salvaging of organs in the absence of explicit consent undercuts the essential character of organ donations as a gift.
Read More…women (and men) should never be paid for their eggs (or sperm), as we insist they not be paid for organ donations. This is done to prevent the human body from becoming “commodified” by powerful economic and market forces, and to stave off the prospect of trafficking in human parts.
Read More...whenever somebody is in fact brain dead, they are dead, and we do not have an obligation to “keep them going.” All machines can be turned off at any time after the declaration of brain death, because brain-dead individuals are, in fact, corpses, not patients. This is the harsh reality.
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