Organ Allocation is a field of bioethics that is always at great debate and consistently being updated in accordance to new information obtained through daily research. The decisions brought forth to those in deciding organizations are expansive and ethically thought-provoking. The list is heavily sided to those in need versus those that give. Ethical treatment of the organs is of the upmost urgency. These are noted as lifesaving elements and should be treated justly and with reverence. Those in the greatest need due to the severity of their health are those who should and do receive the allocation first. Proceeding with this thought process, this paper will discuss who should receive the allocation and the importance of the medical entitlement
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UNOS has a data bank that lists lab values and other critical criteria like blood type, age, body size, and distance from donor. When a patient is trying to get placed on the list, the medical professionals input all the information into what is called a MELD calculator. (Services, 2017) This calculator considers the patients latest set of lab values and ranks them on the list from severely critical to critically stable. All this information comes into deliberation when a donor organ is available. The waiting list is then sorted based on the data already received and the information from the donor. After all this is completed a small list of those that are matches arise. Conferring this system, liver decisions break down into medical urgency and distance from donor. ( UNOS Matching organs, 2015) Due to the viability of the donor liver only lasting a few hours. This method has been the standard for the ethical treatment of organ allocation. UNOS uses the medical entitlement method to allocate organs, a fair and balanced system that benefits the patients in need and is always up to date with the latest …show more content…
Mann is a 50-year-old male with end stage liver disease due to alcoholism. He is currently on the list for a new liver and will soon die if not received. The other patient is Mrs. Bay, a 37-year-old with end stage liver disease due to Hepatitis C. She is currently on the list for transplant due to current medications and treatments being unsuccessful and has feelings of deteriorated health at times bedbound with frequent hospital admissions. (Butts & Rich, 2016) The case study does go into the social history of the two patients. Though with the medical entitlement method those aspects are considered trivial information that can sway a decision. As one would note organ transplant allocation is a difficult process when the social aspect of a person’s life becomes a part of the decision-making process. Looking at strictly the medical information given in the case study the decision made based on this method, Mann would receive the liver transplant. While this decision may be difficult to accept, based on one’s own beliefs and would be widely criticized due to the notion that Mr. Mann has the potential to harm the new liver with his drinking. Per the facts included in the study, he is the sickest of the two patients. When reading the case study, the given information about each patient’s health status is not a complete picture of their overall health. Which is why the Meld calculator would come in to the decision-making arena.
UNOS has a data bank that lists lab values and other critical criteria like blood type, age, body size, and distance from donor. When a patient is trying to get placed on the list, the medical professionals input all the information into what is called a MELD calculator. (Services, 2017) This calculator considers the patients latest set of lab values and ranks them on the list from severely critical to critically stable. All this information comes into deliberation when a donor organ is available. The waiting list is then sorted based on the data already received and the information from the donor. After all this is completed a small list of those that are matches arise. Conferring this system, liver decisions break down into medical urgency and distance from donor. ( UNOS Matching organs, 2015) Due to the viability of the donor liver only lasting a few hours. This method has been the standard for the ethical treatment of organ allocation. UNOS uses the medical entitlement method to allocate organs, a fair and balanced system that benefits the patients in need and is always up to date with the latest …show more content…
Mann is a 50-year-old male with end stage liver disease due to alcoholism. He is currently on the list for a new liver and will soon die if not received. The other patient is Mrs. Bay, a 37-year-old with end stage liver disease due to Hepatitis C. She is currently on the list for transplant due to current medications and treatments being unsuccessful and has feelings of deteriorated health at times bedbound with frequent hospital admissions. (Butts & Rich, 2016) The case study does go into the social history of the two patients. Though with the medical entitlement method those aspects are considered trivial information that can sway a decision. As one would note organ transplant allocation is a difficult process when the social aspect of a person’s life becomes a part of the decision-making process. Looking at strictly the medical information given in the case study the decision made based on this method, Mann would receive the liver transplant. While this decision may be difficult to accept, based on one’s own beliefs and would be widely criticized due to the notion that Mr. Mann has the potential to harm the new liver with his drinking. Per the facts included in the study, he is the sickest of the two patients. When reading the case study, the given information about each patient’s health status is not a complete picture of their overall health. Which is why the Meld calculator would come in to the decision-making arena.