Ethical and Moral Problems in the Use of Artificial and Transplanted Organs

A Decade Followup in Early Cases of Renal Homotransplantation

“…2) What was the role of early transplant fnnction, if this data is available, in long-term survival of patients in his long-term series? And 3) what is your current feeling concerning the value of splenectomy clinically in the renal transplant patient?…”

“…Because the degree of success being achieved had not been anticipated by basic immunologists and for that matter was not yet generally appreciated by clinicians, expressions of criticism and concern were common. 3 Lven those aware of the encouraging statistics of [1962][1963] conceded that the ultimate prognosis of the renal recipients still living was not predictable, since only very isolated examples of long-term survival had been recorded before this time. 8,11,[13][14][15]22 \Vith the passage of nine more years, followups exceeding a decade are now available for the 26 patients who still survive from the early Colorado series of [1962][1963][1964].…”

“…All 14 of those who were adults (18 or older) at the time of transplantation are employed, frequently in jobs for which they were specifically trained postoperatively. Twelve of the survivors were "pediatric" patients (ages [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. The three-year-old who is now almost 14 is a healthy, but physically stunted school boy.…”

Kidney Donation: Reflections

“…Since its inception, the use of living kidney donors has generated much ethical discussion [1,2]. The funda mental question is whether or not it is justified for a physician to place a healthy individual at risk so that that individual may help someone else.…”