Anencephalic infants as organ donors

Abstract

Transplantation technology has been refined in recent years and now offers hope to pediatric patients with a variety of end stage disease processes. The lack of available donors for the smallest potential organ recipients has led to the suggestion that anencephalic infants be used as organ donors. This suggested policy is contrary to current law and raises fundamental ethical issues relating to the definition of death and the treatment of the dying. The technical issues in the potential organ supply from this source are described and the opposing ethical positions developing in this debate are discussed.