Ethical considerations in pediatric solid organ transplantation

Abstract

Solid organ transplantation is now an accepted therapeutic modality for children and teenagers suffering from a wide variety of complex medical conditions. Unfortunately, patients continue to die while on the organ waiting list as there remains an imbalance between the number of recipients listed for transplantation and the number of donors available. The organ allocation process continues to generate ethical questions and debates. In this publication, we discuss some of the most frequently reported ethical matters in the field of pediatric solid organ transplantation.