Preparing for sudden death or organ donation: An ethical dilemma in social work

The medical procedure of transplanting human organs has created a market for transplantable organs. Social workers involved in the organ procurement process face ethical dilemmas regarding clients' identity and primacy of interests, timing of the request for organ donation, possible presence of undue pressure or manipulation for consent, competing interests, and issues of confidentiality. The role of social work in the process and possible ways of dealing with these dilemmas are discussed. Distinction between bereavement counselling and organ procurement in the emergency-room situation, and separate social workers for donor and recipient, when organ transplantation is planned within the family, are suggested.