Transplantation Proceedings
Volume 41, Issue 1 , Pages 17-19, January 2009

Ethical Issues of Organ Transplantation in Chinese Community: Perspectives of Health Professionals, Legal Professionals, and Religious Experts in Taiwan and Mainland China

  • F.J. Shih

      Affiliations

    • School of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • S.H. Chu

      Affiliations

    • Far-Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • R.B. Hsu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • H.J. Weng

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nursing, Tajen University, Pingtung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • S.S. Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests to Shoei-Shen Wang, MD, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan

Abstract 

Objective

This study aimed to compare the perspectives of leading ethical issues related to organ transplantation as perceived by health professionals (HP), legal professionals (LP), and religious experts (RE) from Taiwan (TW) and Mainland China (MC).

Materials and Methods

A purposive sample including TW's organ transplant health professionals (OTHP), LP, and RE and MC's HP was obtained in this qualitative research. Data were analyzed by content analysis.

Results

A total of 127 subjects participated in this project (n = 119 in TW, 8 in MC). They were HP (n = 92), RE (n = 25 TW), and LP (n = 10 TW). Seven ethical dilemmas were reported: (1) difficulties in touching the hearts of the public (HP 100%, LP 100%, RE 100%); (2) challenges in helping donors and their families (HP 96%, RE 80%, LP 50%); (3) competence and availability of HP (HP 93%, RE 72%, LP 50%); (4) questionable social farewell (HP 92%, RE 20%, LP 100%); (5) questionable legitimacy of prisoners' motivations (LP 90%, RE 64%, HP 60%); (6) worry about public discrimination (LP 90%, HP 50%, RE 20%); and (7) challenges to families in taking care of the recipients (HP 87%, LP 70%, RE 52%).

Conclusions

To provide holistic care, HP need to invite RE to provide spiritual support for the donors of cadaveric organs, recipients, and their families. Reliable LP can help them to complete the sophisticated legal procedures. With help from this triangulated collaborative team, the value of organ transplantation will be appreciated by the public.

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PII: S0041-1345(08)01545-5

doi:10.1016/j.transproceed.2008.10.048

Transplantation Proceedings
Volume 41, Issue 1 , Pages 17-19, January 2009

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