Shuvajit Roy, Sourav Kundu
Organ transplantation, a glorious scientific achievement that gives new life to many patients with organ failure, also brings various ethical dilemmas with it. Organ retrieval from a brain-dead donor or a live donor entails voluntary informed consent, with special care taken for vulnerable populations as well as respecting socio-cultural values. Following retrieval, the allocation system needs to be based on objective criteria with the intention of beneficence and reducing disparities. Any deviation from such encourages the illicit trafficking of human organs, which, despite being a social evil, still flourishes due to a huge crisis in the availability of organs. An increase in the pool of voluntary and transparent organ donations will reduce the demand, thus helping to curb this nefarious trade. Public education and motivation in such ways can increase voluntary donations.