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Week 6 Discussion Forum
- Recall this week’s presentation. Does a person in need of an organ transplant have a moral right to obtain that transplant, supposing the availability of the needed organ?
- How should we choose who gets a transplant, supposing that there are not enough organs for all who need them?
Week 6 Discussion Forum Answer (2)
Having organ transplantation if an organ is available is a moral right for being part of the right to health. A person should be allowed access to all means that could address her medical concern. If the organ is already beyond repair and only transplantation is viable, then the patient should be allowed to procure an organ if the same is available. It would be violative to the right of liberty and right to life to limit access despite availability of organs. The patient might die simply because not all means were exhausted.
Week 6 Discussion Forum
I believe that a person has a moral right, as part of her right to health, to receive an organ transplantation if there is an available organ. It would be against the principle of substantive justice if a person will be left to die if an organ is available.
However, the question of how to distribute access to organs is a far more complex issue. I agree with the philosopher Nicholas Rescher that justice can still be observed in the distribution of organs.