Ethics of paid organ donation and the use of executed prisoners as donors: A dialectic with Professors Cameron and Hoffenberg

Abstract

The essay by Professors Cameron and Hoffenberg on practice guideline development activities, and in March “Ethics and the International Society of Nephrology: 1996, they issued a “Joint Statement of Principles RelatPaid organ donation and the use of executed prisoners ing to Practice Guideline Development” [2]. as donors” in this issue of Kidney International [1] raises More recently, the American Society of Nephrology procedural as well as substantive issues for consideration and Renal Physicians Association have appointed a task by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN). I first force to develop evidence-based clinical practice guidereview the procedural issues of whether the ISN should lines on the selection of patients (that is, the indications) (1) propose or endorse guidelines on ethical issues in for dialysis of acute and of chronic renal failure and also nephrology and (2) establish ethical requirements for to address the forgoing or discontinuation of dialysis. members who receive financial support. Thereafter, I These guidelines are expected to be available in the discuss the substantive issues of (1) paid organ donation fall of 1999 and will meet the needs of United States and (2) the transplantation of organs of executed prisnephrologists. They are unlikely, however, to be univeroners. sally applicable. Thus, if global or even European guidelines are desired, the ISN may wish to commission or facilitate such an undertaking. PROCEDURAL ISSUE I