Ethical Issues in Organ Transplantation in India

Abstract

"The last few decades have witnessed revolutionary changes in medical science. Organ transplantation is indeed a great breakthrough in medical history, like the discovery of anesthesia and antibiotics. Ancient Indian and Chinese medical literature includes some description of organ transplantation, but the technical basis of modern organ transplantation was initiated by Alexis Carrel, a French Surgeon experimenting in animals in 1902. The human kidney was transplanted in 1946, Liver in 1963 and heart in 1967. This was followed by many other organs including lung, pancreas and intestines. WHO has now approved organ transplantation as a well established therapy.

Technical barriers like vascular anastamosis and immunological rejection problems have been overcome. Many socially conscious citizens came forward to donate their internal organs in the true spirit of humanity to save precious lives."