Ethical Debate: Organ Transplants

[Q.]

3rdShiftGuy had a great ethical question in the 17y/o organ transplant tragedy that somewhat went unanswered. I think it would be a great thing to debate and discuss, but to avoid confusion and hurt feelings, made a new thread.

Here was 3rdShiftGuy's question:

The question is, should persons come from other countries, legally and with funds, get organ donations from our health care system?

What are your thoughts on this?

[NurseShell]

Sorry if this has already been said (didn't read ALL the posts here) but...

Living in So. CA, we see a lot of illegals - what gets my goat is when someone is injured on this side of the boarder and "we" the US citizen get to pay the bill. NOw, it doesn't matter if this person was injured because they were doing something illegal or not..."we" pay their bills...no matter how steep. If a mom comes here to give birth (to earn citizenship for her child) and that infant is sick "we" pay the NICU costs...it sort of bothers me...I think if "we" are overseas and get hurt "we" still pay the bills.

I understand that the quality of care is better here than south of the border, but why stick the US citizen with the bills??

On the other hand...if we are talking about someone who is NOT "freeloading" I have no problem with that! When it comes to organs and transplants??? I think citizens should be considered first - if there is not match then go to noncitizens.

JMHO

[fergus51]

Nurseshell, that really depends on your financial state. If an American gets injured here and has no insurance we still have to treat them, and send them a bill, but how often do you think they pay for it?

[semstr]

^^5 Fergus, same here.

Oh, and we have to pay for those "foreigners" in jail too, btw!

[donormom]

Just wanted to offer another perspective to this discussion. In 1999, I became a donor family member when my fourth daughter was declared brain dead. Her heart went to a little baby boy miles and hours away. It does MY heart good to know that he is a happy and healthy 3 1/2 year old today.

Every time I hear about the Jesica story, I hurt for her and her family. But I also think about two donor families whose donations were wasted.

I would hate to think that that had happened when we made the decision to donate our daughter's organs.

Has anyone else thought of it from this perspective?

Karen

[Stargazer]

I'm so sorry for your loss, donormom, and I absolutely applaud the generosity with which you elected to help another family's child even in the midst of your own grieving.

In answer to your question, on the 2 lengthy threads on which we discussed this subject, the point that the 2 donors' organs had been "wasted", and the fact that they might have successfully saved another child's life, was made in a number of different posts.

[MishlB]

Funny how Americans are so judgemental and righteous.

[Stargazer]

I'm sorry, was that directed at me? Because if so, I can only think you haven't read any of my other posts on this topic.

If your comment wasn't directed at me, something a little less cryptic would be helpful in explaining your point of view.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

I think that if you are a productive person in a society (in any way), than you should be able to receive from that society as well.

A travelor in a foreign country is contributing with money.

Someone who comes specifically for a service should be required to contribute in order to receive.

[MishlB]

I'm just saying that it's very easy to sit back and make judgements about others..."you should only receive an organ if you pay taxes", "foreigners shouldn't be allowed to get medical attention"...these are comments that make me sad, and not very proud to be an American. And we wonder why others hate us so much.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

I'm just not sure that we should foot the bill for every individual in the world. Will footing that bill make them love us? That is not why they love to hate us.

[MishlB]

It's not about the money, you missed the point completely. It is about the attitude we have regarding anyone who is not like us, or does not meet some standard we hold of how someone should behave and live while in this country. Everyone talks about their taxes as if all their tax money is going to pay for medical care of uninsured patients. What about national defense, conservation of natural resources, and public education? I don't think it's really about taxes....I think it's about discrimination...just my opinion.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

Originally posted by MishlB

..."you should only receive an organ if you pay taxes", "foreigners shouldn't be allowed to get medical attention"...these are comments that make me sad, and not very proud to be an American. And we wonder why others hate us so much.

Taxes were addressed in your above post. I am speaking directly to that.

Don't assume that others don't also have an opinion as broad-sweeping as general discrimination just because they speak specifically on one topic.

What do you think specifically about the funding for foreign transplants on American soil?