Week 6 Scenario and Reflection Essay
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Apr 3, 2024
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Week 6 Scenario and Reflection Essay
Paula Hernandez
West Coast University
PHIL 434: Medical Ethics and Issues
Lucas Ulrich
3/3/2024
In this week's scenario, the debate lies on transplant tourism, which refers to the practice of people traveling abroad in demand of organs, in this instance, kidneys. Speakers for the debate today are Drs. Reynolds and O'Conner. According to Dr. O'Connor, transplant tourism is risky and unethical since it exploits the less fortunate in developing nations (Ulrich, n.d.). However, Dr. Reynolds believes that transplant tourism is an alternative choice that individuals should have and shouldn't be restricted (Ulrich, n.d.). She also argues that not all nations have the same ethical requirements as us and that we shouldn't impose laws and expect other nations to live by them (Ulrich, n.d.).
Of the four options that were presented in the scenario, I would have to agree with option B, which stated:
Of the four options that were presented in the scenario, I would have to agree with option B, which stated: “We can, and should, proceed with caution in the international arena. Transplant tourism is not necessarily a problem. Room for improvement exists where regulations are concerned, but in most cases, this is just an example of the way a world economy functions. Developing countries take advantage of industries with needs that they can address at a lower cost than their competitors. That’s a practical reality, even if it’s an uncomfortable one. As long as the organs come from ethical sources, it isn’t a problem. Even if there is a problem, we don’t want to dip our feet too far into international waters.” (Ulrich, n.d.). Option B, in my opinion, is the most moral approach given that it acknowledges that stricter laws regulating transplants from
other nations are vital, but it also takes into account the fact that for certain individuals, this is their only means of survival, therefore we shouldn't completely eliminate it. According to Pence (2017), "one-third to one-half of recipients reject their heart transplants after five years" in wealthy nations like the US. Even after years, there is still an increased likelihood that a new
organ may be rejected, therefore we should be aware that receiving a donor organ does not ensure longevity.
Transplant tourism is best understood in terms of Kant's deontological moral theory. We understand that the foundation of Kant's theory is whether an act fulfills a responsibility for the population as a whole or the individual. Transplant tourism highlights how, even though certain aspects of it might not be safe in developing nations, it certainly serves a purpose and fulfills a commitment for the recipient as well as for their friends and family. It doesn't matter whether some of us hold the opinion that this practice of transplant tourism is right or wrong; in the end, this concept is based only on whether it satisfies a duty for ourselves and the people around us.
In summary, I believe that organ patients may benefit from transplant tourism. The transplantation of someone abroad carries risks, of course, but if it's the best economical alternative for that person, then I don't see anything wrong with it. In America, medical care can be extremely expensive. Therefore, individuals who think that transplant tourism is immoral have to take up the issue of accessible healthcare. In this case, organ transplants from foreign countries would no longer have to be looked upon. People wish to live and they shouldn't have to
spend the rest of their lives in debt to obtain a vital organ.
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Refences:
Ulrich, L. (n.d.). Annual ethics symposium: Evolving ethics: Debating transplant tourism
[Video]. Canvas@WCU. https://canvas.westcoastuniversity.edu/
Kant’s moral philosophy (Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy)
. (n.d.). Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-mo
ral/#:~:text=