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Organ Transplantation and the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act: A Fifty‐Year Perspective
Author(s) -
Sadler Blair L.,
Sadler Alfred M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
hastings center report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1552-146X
pISSN - 0093-0334
DOI - 10.1002/hast.834
Subject(s) - organ donation , harm , altruism (biology) , autonomy , transplantation , government (linguistics) , law , bioethics , public trust , perspective (graphical) , political science , medicine , psychology , social psychology , surgery , linguistics , philosophy , artificial intelligence , computer science
Abstract Fifty years ago this summer, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act was adopted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and approved by the American Bar Association. The UAGA has provided a sound and stable legal platform on which to base an effective nationwide organ donation system. The cardinal principles of altruism, autonomy, and public trust are still important. At a time when confidence and trust in our government and many private institutions has declined, maintaining trust and confidence in our health care system and its commitment to “first, do no harm” has never been more important. Any policies that override these core ethical principles could cause irreparable damage to the public's faith in our transplant system. While progress has been made to increase organ registration and the number of organs transplanted, much more must be done to realize the potential of life‐saving therapy without jeopardizing ethical principles .