Who gets the liver transplant? The use of responsibility as the tie breaker
- Correspondence to Ms V Thornton, Directorate of Nursing, University of Liverpool, 1st Floor, Whelan Building, The Quadrangle, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69 3GB, UK; v.thornton{at}liv.ac.uk
- Received 24 February 2009
- Revised 23 June 2009
- Accepted 22 July 2009
Abstract
Is it possible to invoke the use of moral responsibility as part of the selection criteria in the allocation of livers for transplant? Criticism has been applied to the difficulties inherent in including such a criterion and also the effect that employing such a judgement might have upon the relationship between the physician and patient. However, these criticisms rely on speculation and conjecture and do not relate to all the arguments put forward in favour of applying moral responsibility. None of the present arguments against using moral responsibility in the allocation of livers for transplant are good enough to warrant its dismissal.
Footnotes
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Competing interests None.
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Provenance and Peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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↵i Evidence (p 363)6 suggests that having this gene can result in dependency from daily alcohol consumption as low as six UK standard units or drinks, which is relatively small for most individuals dependent on alcohol.
