Organ donation

[magid]

It's been an interesting email day, so far. I also got a link to the Halachic Organ Donor Society, the existence of which I was not previously aware. Interesting stuff.

The basic issues (for observant Jews):
- What defines death? Is it cessation of heartbeat, or breath, or brain-stem activity?
- A body has sanctity, and should be treated respectfully, so organ donation for research is problematic

Traditionally, there have been many rabbinic positions against organ donation. I was brought up to donate blood, and organ donation to help someone after I've died (I don't believe there are the same issues with donating a kidney or bone marrow or anything else relatively invasive but possible while alive) seemed to follow from that, so I was a bit surprised to find that this wasn't the majority opinion.

Apparently, either times have changed, or enough rabbis are willing to go public (in a more than individual response sort of way). So I can now get an organ donor card that matches the two opinions that would allow organ donation. To wit, donating organs after

a. "irreversible cessation of breathing, which is confirmed by brain-stem death. [Medically, this allows for donation of all organs. This criterion is the position of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.]"
or
b. "irreversible cessation of heartbeat, provided that no invasive preparatory procedure is done prior to cessation of heart beat. [This option reduces the possibility of being an organ donor and limits the number of organs that may be donated.]"

additionally
"Any and all preparations for transplant should begin after consultation with a family-appointed rabbi. Transplants may commence only after a medical team, who is independent of the attending physicians and who is unaware that I am a potential organ donor, determines death as I have dictated above. All medical procedures must be done with proper respect, and minimum damage, to the cadaver."

I'd not have thought of the extra level to avoid mistakes, but it makes sense. I should probably send for a card.

Comments

[cellio]

I once heard the opinion (I've forgotten where -- not my rabbi) that donating parts not essential for life, such as corneas, was a problem even if donating, say, your heart was ok. I hadn't thought about the question along those dimensions before.

[magid.livejournal.com]

That didn't seem to be addressed on the site I linked to, though I didn't dig very far. It's an interesting question, weighing the prohibitions of what can be done to a body and what someone else's needs are. I can see it's easiest when it's clearly a case of saving someone's life (heart, etc). I don't know where the line is though, that quality of life v. life at all. Or whether there's a difference if one is giving multiple organs, some of which are more critical than others.