Topic: Organ Donation
An organ donation is the removal of the human body from a living donor or a person who has recently died for the purpose of transplanting. Then a procedure similar to surgery takes place, where organs and tissues are removed. Individuals of all ages may become organ donors. The laws in different countries allow donors accept or decline a donation or give this choice to their relatives. In the U.S the law regulation of organ is left to states within the limitations the Transplant Act, which requires the donor to make a confirmatory statement during his/her lifetime that she or he has agreed to become a donor. In the United Kingdom organ donation is voluntary. The ones who are willing to donate their organs after death can use the national database. However the ethical question was always there since the mid-1970s. There are many teleological ethical, religious, political arguments that arise within that subject.
Article 1: Ukraine
Interior Ministry: Ukrainian medics have nothing to do with organs trade
http://eng.for-ua.com/news/2007/07/24/152237.html
The article informs of an incident that was revealed by the Israeli police through the international network that organized illegal donor organs transplantation in a private hospital in Kiev. The two criminal who were found were arrested in the Tel Aviv airport and they were shortly followed by the other nine people who were involved in the organ transplantation field. The police tracked the criminals trough an announcement published in a Russian press, that was persuading the people to become a kidney donor for a generous reward. After the donors were medically examined, they were taken to a private hospital in Kiev, where their renal transplantations were carried out. As the article states every kidney was sold for 150,000 dollars.
Article 2: Russia
Survival of the Fittest- turning kidneys into cash.
http://rt.com/Top_News/2009-03-20/Survival_of_the_fittest___turning_kidneys_into_cash.html?fullstory
The article discusses a social network website that invites people to buy and sell their kidneys online. The websites motto states “Your kidneys are our cares”. The website also advises that the best way to survive the world economic crisis is to sell your kidney. The websites homepage suggests that while the crisis is overtaking the planet it is very substantial to sell your kidney and receive a necessary amount of money for paying fees, credit and a lot more. The statistics show that the websites membership has 2,456 users registered. Yet, the article states that the website has little proof of being authentic and it seems a lot like a cynical joke. The website also started a promotional campaign in order to encourage people to invite their friends to join in, under a slogan “Invite your friend and receive 20% of your friend's kidney price. Only until September 1.”As well as the websites limited feedback which has two messages posted in the section, both of the opinions after the kidney donations are positive. It also provides a section which says "You are not alone” but when you open the page a blank page appears.
Article 3: Pakistan
Organ Donation Law
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/editorial/16-organ-donation-law-hs-04
The article informs that the new law adopted by the Senate, bans surgeons who exploit poverty-stricken to buy their organs for a ridiculous amount and transplant these in desperate foreigners with an end kidney failure for serious amount of money. The president of the Transplantation society has stated that the sale of human organs sale has declined when certain measures were taken in 2007. Prior to that, Pakistan had maintained a dubious reputation for becoming a place of kidney tourism. The new law that has been passed bans such actions and organs from a living donor can take under very strict conditions. This law has proved to be very successful. Nevertheless there is a need to address the issue to the public about the decreased organ donation. As the article mentions, there is not enough public awareness.
Reflection/Analysis
In my opinion organ transplantation is an important issue around the world; especially it should be directly addressed to in poorer countries such as Pakistan. In addition organ transplantation also became a very exploitive and manipulative process, particularly with those volunteers that have little knowledge on the issue; they could easily get trapped and convinced to donate their organs for a promising amount of money. Although afterwards they might have to face some severe health difficulties and dysfunctions within their body and as a result they could easily become victims of the organ donation process. It involves many ethical questions of whether this should be allowed in poorer countries or some laws need to be passed on in order to slow down the rate at which the poorer individual are manipulated to sell their organs.
The three articles show different situations related to the issue in countries such as Russia, Ukraine and Pakistan. The Ukrainian article taken from the newspaper is a story of some Ukrainian group of criminals that organized the kidney transplantations supposedly for a great award that the volunteers could receive. The Russian article talks about an online website that calls for the individuals to become volunteers for kidney donation and have some banners demonstrating that a single kidney equals a lot of money. They also claim that an effective way of avoiding economic crisis is by selling your kidneys, but after a deeper analysis the reviewers consider it to be a suspicious joke. The article taken from a Pakistani newspaper informs about a law that was passed by the Senate, which ensures that no unnecessary and unconfirmed organ transplants will take place starting from the year of 2009.
From all the three articles I found more about organ donations in different places and the cases that have appeared concerning this issue. I think that this issue requires a further analysis and investigation from the police as well as it should be taken into consideration by the governments. It also requires more fair assessment in what cases it should be legal and in what cases the medical experts and surgeons should abstain from these measures. As well as I think that in terms of exploitation this is a serious problem with some lack of understanding from the publics side about seriousness of organ transplantation.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Euthanasia(three articles)
Topic: Euthanasia
Euthanasia is a practice of ending life in a painless way in order to prevent the individual from an incurable illness. Voluntary euthanasia is a form of an assisted suicide and it has been a great ethical issue in the recent years. There many different views and criticism about voluntary euthanasia. From 2009 Voluntary Euthanasia became legal in countries such as: Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.S. Involuntary Euthanasia is when the decision for Euthanasia is made by a family member concerning the individual who is unable to take that decision. Involuntary Euthanasia is illegal in all countries except for the Netherlands. The issue with Euthanasia involves both of the for and against sides. Some physicians argue that euthanasia is a sane choice for the patients who find their existence excruciating and could not continue suffering. Yet, some medical experts state that preventing a patient from death is the given duty of a physician, so it is their responsibility to take care of the individual despite the hardship of the patient’s state.
Article 1: UK
BBC news
Euthanasia: An overview.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/background_briefings/euthanasia/331255.stm
The article gives a good overview on the problems with Euthanasia. It provides with both of the arguments for and against Euthanasia. It gives a historical case of the 1992 of a doctor in the UK, who injected a 70 year old woman with a lethal drug. Later he was discovered by a nurse who had read his notes. As a result he was accused of attempted murder by the Winchester Crown Court. Although the court imposed a suspended sentence they let him off with a warning. The article also examines different points of views on the issue, and the ethical questions that euthanasia might raise. It examines the view of the Pro-euthanasia campaigners who argue that it is a matter of personal freedom and that it is important that people could be helped to die in a painless manner. Some religious groups believe that only god should decide when to end the lives of the individuals. Other groups are worried that if Euthanasia will be allowed that it might be exposed to abuse. The article also shows a view of the experts who argue that the doctors do not know enough about taking care of the terminally-ill patients.
Article 2: Russia
Euthanasia- a merciful release?
http://rt.com/prime-time/2008-10-16/Euthanasia__a_merciful_release.html
The article gives a review of a case of a man in Russia in the Sverdlovsk region, who was imprisoned for killing his chronically ill wife Svetlana, who was paralyzed and had no chance of recovery. Oleg( Svetlana’s husband) claimed that by doing so he tried to save her from unbearable pain The article further discusses the dangers of Euthanasia in Russia. It talks about this being a taboo subject in Russia which was not properly taken into consideration. It also states that those who want mercy killing legalized in the country explain that this issue is given very little attention. The head of the department of a non-profit organization, Mr. Savers said “A proposal to legalise euthanasia was discussed last year in the Senate, but it died out. Of course it's easier to close your eyes to the problem instead of looking at the very ill people”. However, in contrast with Europe and the U.S, Russia does no yett have a major opened debated about euthanasia.
Article 3: U.S
The New York Times
With Help, Conductor and Wife Ended Lives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/world/europe/15britain.html?scp=2&sq=&st=nyt
The article provides with the case of a married couple, Sir Edward Downes one of the conductors of the British orchestra aged 85 and his wife Joan aged 74. Sir Edward was described by his sister as “almost blind and increasingly deaf”. His wife was in the final stages of terminal cancer. As their children informed they took a flight to Zurich where the Swiss group Dignitas helped them arrange the Suicide. Then on Friday their children watched them drink a small quantity of clear liquid which followed by their quick death. As their children further explain they wanted to be next to each other when they died. Their son also said “It is a very civilized way to end your life, and I don’t understand why the legal position in this country doesn’t allow it.” After 54 years of being happily married they decided to end their lives peacefully rather than continue living with the serious health issues they both had. The article also states that suicide has not been a criminal offense in Britain since 1961. The Zurich clinic that was established by the Dignitas under a law that allows clinics to provide lethal drugs. Therefore the authorities have turned blind tot the patients that go to die there. However, the British reports confirms that Sir Edward appeared not to be terminally ill and there were other cases of patients who were not terminally ill, yet chose to die next to each other. Also among those who support assisted suicide, Sir Edward’s death raises a serious doubt. Sarah Wootton, the executive of dignity in dying informed the BBC that at the rate the Britons are going abroad to die makes it more urgent to alter the British laws. In July, 2009 the British Medical Association voted against legalizing assisted suicides. The following weeks the House of Lords defeated a bill that allowed the people subjected to safeguards to travel abroad and helping these people die.
Reflection/Analysis
In my view Euthanasia is one the substantial and important ethical and social issues that caused a debate between both for and against sides. In some countries assisted deaths are legalized where in other they cause a huge scandal and remain a problem when those individual who are willing to die using lethal drugs and for that reason travel abroad
The three articles, all show a good background of the topic and its status in the three different countries as well as the treatment of this issue under the different legal rights. Each one of the articles contains individual cases of people who attempted to die. As the U.S article shows, they tried to die either by themselves, as the married British couple, who wanted to be close to each other at the time of their death. Another case the article taken from Russian news shows an assisted death. Where the husband is the one who carries the decision for the death of his own wife. He was quickly arrested because in Russia Euthanasia is not legalized, unlike in countries such as the UK and the US. Another case in the UK, taken from the BBC demonstrates a historical case of a doctor who chose to use lethal methods without consult and was subjected to attempted murder, but was let off. I find it interesting to see how these similar cases of Euthanasia are treated differently in different countries. The fact that Euthanasia is legalized in the UK and the U.S and there are for and against debaters and officials who are working with this issue and the law which allows is it to remain legal for the time being. There are also countries such as Russia, which do not approve and view legalizing Euthanasia as a threat to the society.
It was also interesting to read about the case of the British couple who made such a decision and then it proved to be that the husband was not as terminally ill as his wife. Furthermore, in my opinion Euthanasia is an issue that the authorities should take into consideration along with its ethical issues and reasons for choosing to die artificially. In my personal opinion I would not consider Euthanasia as a good and essential solution for the terminally ill. I think it is far more important to find more medical alternatives to support the ill patient rather than discouraging him/her to give up and take such measures as Euthanasia.
Euthanasia is a practice of ending life in a painless way in order to prevent the individual from an incurable illness. Voluntary euthanasia is a form of an assisted suicide and it has been a great ethical issue in the recent years. There many different views and criticism about voluntary euthanasia. From 2009 Voluntary Euthanasia became legal in countries such as: Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.S. Involuntary Euthanasia is when the decision for Euthanasia is made by a family member concerning the individual who is unable to take that decision. Involuntary Euthanasia is illegal in all countries except for the Netherlands. The issue with Euthanasia involves both of the for and against sides. Some physicians argue that euthanasia is a sane choice for the patients who find their existence excruciating and could not continue suffering. Yet, some medical experts state that preventing a patient from death is the given duty of a physician, so it is their responsibility to take care of the individual despite the hardship of the patient’s state.
Article 1: UK
BBC news
Euthanasia: An overview.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/background_briefings/euthanasia/331255.stm
The article gives a good overview on the problems with Euthanasia. It provides with both of the arguments for and against Euthanasia. It gives a historical case of the 1992 of a doctor in the UK, who injected a 70 year old woman with a lethal drug. Later he was discovered by a nurse who had read his notes. As a result he was accused of attempted murder by the Winchester Crown Court. Although the court imposed a suspended sentence they let him off with a warning. The article also examines different points of views on the issue, and the ethical questions that euthanasia might raise. It examines the view of the Pro-euthanasia campaigners who argue that it is a matter of personal freedom and that it is important that people could be helped to die in a painless manner. Some religious groups believe that only god should decide when to end the lives of the individuals. Other groups are worried that if Euthanasia will be allowed that it might be exposed to abuse. The article also shows a view of the experts who argue that the doctors do not know enough about taking care of the terminally-ill patients.
Article 2: Russia
Euthanasia- a merciful release?
http://rt.com/prime-time/2008-10-16/Euthanasia__a_merciful_release.html
The article gives a review of a case of a man in Russia in the Sverdlovsk region, who was imprisoned for killing his chronically ill wife Svetlana, who was paralyzed and had no chance of recovery. Oleg( Svetlana’s husband) claimed that by doing so he tried to save her from unbearable pain The article further discusses the dangers of Euthanasia in Russia. It talks about this being a taboo subject in Russia which was not properly taken into consideration. It also states that those who want mercy killing legalized in the country explain that this issue is given very little attention. The head of the department of a non-profit organization, Mr. Savers said “A proposal to legalise euthanasia was discussed last year in the Senate, but it died out. Of course it's easier to close your eyes to the problem instead of looking at the very ill people”. However, in contrast with Europe and the U.S, Russia does no yett have a major opened debated about euthanasia.
Article 3: U.S
The New York Times
With Help, Conductor and Wife Ended Lives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/world/europe/15britain.html?scp=2&sq=&st=nyt
The article provides with the case of a married couple, Sir Edward Downes one of the conductors of the British orchestra aged 85 and his wife Joan aged 74. Sir Edward was described by his sister as “almost blind and increasingly deaf”. His wife was in the final stages of terminal cancer. As their children informed they took a flight to Zurich where the Swiss group Dignitas helped them arrange the Suicide. Then on Friday their children watched them drink a small quantity of clear liquid which followed by their quick death. As their children further explain they wanted to be next to each other when they died. Their son also said “It is a very civilized way to end your life, and I don’t understand why the legal position in this country doesn’t allow it.” After 54 years of being happily married they decided to end their lives peacefully rather than continue living with the serious health issues they both had. The article also states that suicide has not been a criminal offense in Britain since 1961. The Zurich clinic that was established by the Dignitas under a law that allows clinics to provide lethal drugs. Therefore the authorities have turned blind tot the patients that go to die there. However, the British reports confirms that Sir Edward appeared not to be terminally ill and there were other cases of patients who were not terminally ill, yet chose to die next to each other. Also among those who support assisted suicide, Sir Edward’s death raises a serious doubt. Sarah Wootton, the executive of dignity in dying informed the BBC that at the rate the Britons are going abroad to die makes it more urgent to alter the British laws. In July, 2009 the British Medical Association voted against legalizing assisted suicides. The following weeks the House of Lords defeated a bill that allowed the people subjected to safeguards to travel abroad and helping these people die.
Reflection/Analysis
In my view Euthanasia is one the substantial and important ethical and social issues that caused a debate between both for and against sides. In some countries assisted deaths are legalized where in other they cause a huge scandal and remain a problem when those individual who are willing to die using lethal drugs and for that reason travel abroad
The three articles, all show a good background of the topic and its status in the three different countries as well as the treatment of this issue under the different legal rights. Each one of the articles contains individual cases of people who attempted to die. As the U.S article shows, they tried to die either by themselves, as the married British couple, who wanted to be close to each other at the time of their death. Another case the article taken from Russian news shows an assisted death. Where the husband is the one who carries the decision for the death of his own wife. He was quickly arrested because in Russia Euthanasia is not legalized, unlike in countries such as the UK and the US. Another case in the UK, taken from the BBC demonstrates a historical case of a doctor who chose to use lethal methods without consult and was subjected to attempted murder, but was let off. I find it interesting to see how these similar cases of Euthanasia are treated differently in different countries. The fact that Euthanasia is legalized in the UK and the U.S and there are for and against debaters and officials who are working with this issue and the law which allows is it to remain legal for the time being. There are also countries such as Russia, which do not approve and view legalizing Euthanasia as a threat to the society.
It was also interesting to read about the case of the British couple who made such a decision and then it proved to be that the husband was not as terminally ill as his wife. Furthermore, in my opinion Euthanasia is an issue that the authorities should take into consideration along with its ethical issues and reasons for choosing to die artificially. In my personal opinion I would not consider Euthanasia as a good and essential solution for the terminally ill. I think it is far more important to find more medical alternatives to support the ill patient rather than discouraging him/her to give up and take such measures as Euthanasia.
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