RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Equity in access to facial transplantation
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP medethics-2020-106129
DO 10.1136/medethics-2020-106129
A1 Laura L Kimberly
A1 Elie P Ramly
A1 Allyson R Alfonso
A1 Gustave K Diep
A1 Zoe P Berman
A1 Eduardo D Rodriguez
YR 2020
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2020/10/15/medethics-2020-106129.abstract
AB We examine ethical considerations in access to facial transplantation (FT), with implications for promoting health equity. As a form of vascularised composite allotransplantation, FT is still considered innovative with a relatively low volume of procedures performed to date by a small number of active FT programmes worldwide. However, as numbers continue to increase and institutions look to establish new FT programmes, we anticipate that attention will shift from feasibility towards ensuring the benefits of FT are equitably available to those in need. This manuscript assesses barriers to care and their ethical implications across a number of considerations, with the intent of mapping various factors relating to health equity and fair access to FT. Evidence is drawn from an evolving clinical experience as well as published scholarship addressing several dimensions of access to FT. We also explore novel concerns that have yet to be mentioned in the literature.