New ACP position paper addresses ethical considerations in organ transplantation
As transplantation medicine and technology evolve, they must be guided by foundational and enduring ethical principles and medical professionalism, the College says.
A new position paper, “Ethical Issues in Organ Transplantation: A Position Paper from the American College of Physicians,” emphasizes that the needs of the donor patient and their family must be at the forefront of organ donation decisions and that the process should be trustworthy and transparent.
The paper, published in Annals of Internal Medicine on Oct. 28, clarifies the roles and responsibilities of care teams for prospective donor patients, recipient-patients, and organ procurement teams, reaffirming that end-of-life decision making must center on the patient's best interests.
It also highlights how current organ transplantation practices can sometimes prioritize community benefit over patient-centered care. ACP underscores that physicians must always align care with the patient's wishes and preferences.
The paper states that the goal of increasing the number of organs for transplant does not override physicians' fundamental responsibilities to patients. As transplantation medicine and technology evolve, they must be guided by foundational and enduring ethical principles and medical professionalism, the paper says.