Is it ethical to allow inmates to be organ donors?
I’m not sold on the idea of a lesser
time sentence for inmates if they donate their organs. This would be an
allowance only suitable on a case by case basis. However, I am all for the
organ donating of death row inmates.
This is a controversial subject and I’m not sure if it’s been legalized yet,
but I know one thing one organ can save more than one life; does it really
matter who the donor is? I say no. This country has a huge need for organ donors.
According to organdonors.gov “…an average of 18 people die each day waiting for
transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs.”
There are some that say inmates on death row are attempting to redeem
themselves by doing one last charitable thing before they are put to death and
I say, what’s wrong with that? I do believe there are higher health risks
involved with those who have been in prison for a long period of time, but that
just means the medics would have to conduct really excellent tests on those
specific organs prior to allowing them to be placed in someone else. Each state is different in handling the
request to be an organ donor. Some, like Texas have denied the request of a
death row inmate to be an organ donor. Yet, in Alabama and Ohio there have been
a couple documented donations from an inmate to a person needing an organ.
Death
Row Inmate’s Raise Ethical Questions
In the attached article there is
some good information about inmate organ donating including both sides of the argument.
I enjoy the part where a 62 year old survivor shares how she received an organ
from a young child that was hit and killed while riding her bike and that saved
her life. She also mentions how if she would have known the organ was coming
from a death row inmate she probably would not have accepted it. I wonder if
that were the real scenario, would she still be alive today to share her story
in this article. It’s all very fascinating and I see how both sides of the argument
have a great point of view but I still think the logical answer would be to
allow on to donate in order to save another.
Lauren R., Sade,
R. Shu S. Prisoners on Death Row Should be
Accepted as Organ Donors. Retrieved from
Death
Row Inmate’s Wish Raises Ethical Questions. Fox News. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/14/death-row-inmate-wish-raises-ethical-questions/
Heath Resources and Service
Administration. Retrieved from http://www.organdonor.gov/sitemap.html.
Hey Krystal,
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about the temporary stay of execution for Ronald Phillips after he formally requested to donate his organs to some family members. On moral grounds I disagree with, Medical ethicist, Arthur Caplan of New York University who stated, "organ donation is incompatible with the goals of punishment". Although I understand that some victims families would take issue with any perceived redemption of the individual who was convicted of crime with a sentence of capital punishment. In a way this is a pro-choice/pro-life discussion, that an inmate is permitted to donate his or her organs for transplant to give another person life or much improved quality of life.
On scientific grounds and backed up with toxicology reports, I would fully support death row inmates being denied from donating organs for transplant.
I agree with you Krystal, that inmates should be allowed to donate organs. Being that organs are in high demand just as much as blood, then anyone who is in good health and giving for the right reasons should be allowed to donate an organ. Yes, some inmates decide to become organ donors for the wrong reasons, but what about the ones that sincerely give to help others. Everyone should be given an equal opportunity to participate in charitable events.
ReplyDeleteKrystal: You have raised good points in your blog on inmate organ donation. I like the way you clearly stated your opinion on the issue. Professor Taylor
ReplyDeleteKrystal,
ReplyDeleteThis is a thought provoking blog. I agree that if a death row prisoner want to give up their organs to redeem themselves let them. If they murdered someone they took a life, and if they donate their organs upon their death they will save lives. Now in the case where an inmate on death row or not needs an organ, that would have to be on a case by case basis. Should we prolong the life of a death row inmate just to kill them and should we prolong the life of a person who has been sentenced to life? For me the answer is no.