This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Critique

D. Alan Shewmon, MD; Alexander M. Capron, LLB; Warwick J. Peacock, MD; Barbara L. Schulman, RN

JAMA. 1989;261(12):1773-1781.

Abstract
The recent abandonment of the only active US protocol for harvesting organs from anencephalic "donors" indicates both the practical and the ethical problems inherent in such an effort. Various data suggest that surprisingly few such organs would actually end up benefiting other children. Attempts to revise either the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act or the Uniform Determination of Death Act to allow organ removal from spontaneously breathing anencephalic infants face major ethical objections. Even if this posed no ethical problem in theory, the ultimate harm to society would not be offset by the good of the few surviving recipients of these organs. Furthermore, providing anencephalic infants with intensive care would tend to preserve the brain stem as effectively as the other organs, predictably rendering the occurrence of brain death unlikely. Thus, despite the great need for newborn organs, anencephalic infants are not as attractive a source as some had hoped.

(JAMA. 1989;261:1773-1781)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology (Dr Shewmon), Neurosurgery (Dr Peacock), and Surgery (Ms Schulman), UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif; and The Law Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (Mr Capron). Ms Schulman is Transplant Coordinator, Regional Organ Procurement Agency of Southern California.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to UCLA Medical Center, MDCC 22-464,10833 LeConte Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1752 (Dr Shewmon).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Abortion and the Beginning and End of Human Life
Marquis
J Law Med Ethics 2006;34:16-25.
 

Do fetuses feel pain?
McCullagh and Saunders
BMJ 1997;314:302-302.
FULL TEXT  

Anencephalic Infants as Organ Donors
Khan
JAMA 1995;274:1758-1758.
ABSTRACT  

The Use of Anencephalic Neonates as Organ Donors
Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American et al.
JAMA 1995;273:1614-1618.
ABSTRACT  

Anencephalic Newborns: A Source of Transplantable Organs?
Truog
J Intensive Care Med 1990;5:82-87.
ABSTRACT  

Anencephalic Infants as Sources for Organs: Gravity and the Steepness and Slipperiness of Slopes
Walters
JAMA 1989;262:2093-2093.
ABSTRACT  

Anencephalic Infants as Sources for Organs: Gravity and the Steepness and Slipperiness of Slopes
Oberman
JAMA 1989;262:2093-2094.
ABSTRACT