The Rights of the Relatives within the Deceased Organ Donation Process

Abstract

Within the process of organ donation, the healthcare team has to interact closely with the relatives of the potential donors. If the family opposes an organ donation, the transplant coordinator has to decide whether he should continue with the donation process. Two ethically challenging questions need to be discussed. Do relatives have the right to override the patient"™s decision to donate or not to donate? Should they be allowed to decide in cases where nothing is known about the patient"™s wishes concerning organ donation? It will be argued that the family has the right not to be distressed. However, this doesn"™t give them the right to override the potential donor"™s decision. Neither does it give them the right to decide for or against a donation in the case that nothing is known about the donor"™s wishes concerning organ donation.