Priority for registered organ donors: unfair discrimination against non-donors?
In a new article published in Journal of Medical Ethics Andreas Brøgger Albertsen argues that priority rules in organdonation may discriminate. But even if so, they’re not necessarily wrong. If wrong it’s for contingent reasons like demeaningness problematic motivations.
https://doi.org/10.1136/jme-2024-110029
Abstract
Priority rules give priority to registered organ donors in the allocation of organs. Such rules might directly discriminate against non-donors or indirectly discriminate against those whose religious commitments prevent them from registering. However, while priority rules may qualify as discriminatory, they are not necessarily wrong for the reasons discrimination is usually thought to be wrong—for reasons related to harm and disrespect. While they can be so for reasons related to problematic mental states and demeaningness, they need not be.