Write 500 words summary of your argument of the topic.
Refer to legal, ethical arguments knowledge and understanding of the content and
the implications of the work(s) presented. Understanding of the NMBA Practice Standards
& legislation on the topic.
AN ALCOHOLIC IS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE DONOR LIVER
In recent times, it has become paramount for alcoholics to receive donations of the liver
with the aim of managing their health complications. An alcoholic refers to persons with distinct
physical needs to alcohol consumption beyond their capacity to regulate or control it regardless
of the ordinary senses. These individuals will end up experiencing dangerous alcohol-related
effects such as liver problems resulting in liver transplants hence an alcoholic is entitled to
receive donor’s liver. A liver transplant will, therefore, refer to a surgical procedure that involves
replacing the diseased liver of a recipient with a healthy one from a donor’s liver. Liver
transplant has numerous significances (Dorr, 2016). Firstly is that organ transplants ensure that
transplanted liver lasts longer time as compared to the diseased liver. However, surgeries may
also be scheduled at the suitable time frame for both the recipient and the donor liver.it will again
enable the surgeon to plan the living liver transplant in an elective manner before complications
that threaten life erupts especially when waiting for the diseased donors liver. The other benefits
of the liver transplant are that there is the minimum waiting period during the surgical process,
therefore, reducing the risk of liver transplant failure (Sagar et al., 2015). Provision of donor
liver to alcoholics has posed several arguments as for whether they deserve to receive such
significant services. Such arguments revolve around the values, norms and assumption of given
AN ALCOHOLIC IS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE DONOR LIVER 2
society, for example, an Individual responsibility for health and stigma has caused severe debate
among the medical personnel, patients family members, and the general public.
Concerns expressed here is that individual is always responsible for their whole health
meaning that alcoholism leading to severe liver diseases was actually due to the voluntary
activities. Provision of a liver transplant to such patients’ means taking out the little resources out
from those patients who deserved more attention (Sagar et al., 2015).it is justified that such
patients should be given low priority since they are purportedly the sole cause of the disease as
well as their moral responsibility for the failure of the liver. Personal responsibility for health as
advocated relies on the concept of providing individuals with what they deserve. By focusing on
personal responsibility for own health as well as other alcoholic related health problems, liver
transplant professional will place patients with liver disorders caused by alcoholism in a different
level of scrutiny than any other patient with a liver disease(Kim et al., 2015). Such acts will lead
to injustices for example when giving out waiting lists in hospitals. Such inequities related to
liver patients should be addressed by checking out the patients with the highest health needs after
carrying out assessments of all liver patients.
According to NBMA practices, standards and legislation, equity to access of liver
transplants to all patients will significantly remain an ethically requirement in any liver
transplant medical institutions. It also indicates that all liver patients should be treated the same
way to get rid of patients getting quick access to liver transplants due to factors like
demographics and behaviors (Herden et al., 2014). NBMA points out that total commitment to
equity in organ transplants demands that alcoholic patients to be provided with low priorities
only when the individual groups of alcoholic patients exhibit transplant prognoses that are
inadequate and unacceptable.
AN ALCOHOLIC IS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE DONOR LIVER 3
I agree that alcoholic is entitled to receive liver donor basing on the above arguments for
the ethical point of view as well as the NBMA practices, standards, and legislation acts (Jurado
et al., 2016). In a nutshell, alcoholic liver patients should be treated equally to other patients
suffering from liver related disorders to ensure equity and justice are administered.
References
Dorr, C. R., Freedman, B. I., Hicks, P. J., Brown, W. M., Russell, G. B., Julian, B. A., & …
Israni, A. K. (2016). Deceased-Donor Apolipoprotein L1 Renal-Risk Variants Have
Minimal Effects on Liver Transplant Outcomes. Plos ONE, 11(4), 1-9.
Herden, U., Grabhorn, E., Briem-Richter, A., Ganschow, R., Nashan, B., & Fischer, L. (2014).
Developments in pediatric liver transplantation since implementation of the new
allocation rules in Eurotransplant. Clinical Transplantation, 28(9), 1061-1068.
Jurado-García, J., Muñoz García-Borruel, M., Rodríguez-Perálvarez, M. L., Ruíz-Cuesta, P.,
Poyato-González, A., Barrera-Baena, P., & … de la Mata-García, M. (2016). Impact of
MELD Allocation System on Waiting List and Early Post-Liver Transplant Mortality.
Plos ONE, 11(6), 1-13.
AN ALCOHOLIC IS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE DONOR LIVER 4
Kim, W. R., Lake, J. R., Smith, J. M., Skeans, M. A., Schladt, D. P., Edwards, E. B., & …
Kasiske, B. L. (2015). OPTN/SRTR 2013 Annual Data Report: Liver. American Journal
Of Transplantation, 151-28.
Sagar, N., Leithead, J. A., Lloyd, C., Smith, M., Gunson, B. K., Adams, D. H., & … Ferguson, J.
W. (2015). Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients Who Undergo Transfer to the Adult
Healthcare Service Have Good Long-Term Outcomes. American Journal Of
Transplantation, 15(7), 1864-1873.
An Alcoholic is Entitled to
Receive Donor Liver
The introduction should presents the overall topic and draws the audience
into the presentation with a clear and interesting purpose (ethical and
legal principles) and/ or by relating to the goals of the topic. Clear,
concise team introductions.
Liver Transplants for Alcoholics
Alcohol is one of the primary causes of chronic
liver disease globally.
It is responsible for approximately half of the
deaths attributed to end-state liver disease
(Moss & Siegler, 2015).
The issue of liver transplant as a result of
alcoholic-induced liver disease is quite
contentious, controversial and has given rise to
many ethical and moral debates (Artru, Louvet &
Mathuri,2015).
Guideline to be Eligible for a Donor Liver
According to the international guidelines, a
person who has alcoholism is required to abstain
from taking alcohol for at least a period of six
months so as to be entitled for a liver transplant
(Moss & Siegler, 2015).
Thus, the chances of alcoholics surviving the
period from being diagnosed of six months to
receive a transplant is low.
Those who are lucky to receive a transplant will
have a good prognosis.
Ethical and Moral Issues surrounding liver
transplant to an alcoholic
Some communities, religious institutions, organ
donors, and medical professionals believe that an
alcoholic does not deserve a liver transplant
(Bedford & Jones, 2014).
They support their position by saying that alcohol
is the primary cause of the disease and thus
should not be eligible for a healthy liver as the
person may still drink alcohol and damage the
donated liver.
Others are of the opinion that alcoholism is a life
style-disease, and hence, alcoholics should pay
for their irresponsible conduct (Doane, 2014).
Ethical and Moral Issues surrounding liver
transplant to an alcoholic
The different groups argue that such individuals
should reap on what they saw.
Some of these individuals are in the notion that
an alcoholic has made the choice to consume
alcohol and it is within them to stop.
These varied opinions are complex and
controversial in solving.
On the same note, there is scarcity of organ
donation and implants.
This implies that even individuals who are
deemed to be deserving a donation, find it
difficult to receive an appropriate organ.
Similarly, relapse may occur for alcoholics
implying that even with a healthy liver, an
alcoholic may suffer from a serious damage to
their body in the future.
References
Artru, F., Louvet, A., & Mathurin, P. (2015). Should
patients with alcoholic hepatitis be considered for liver
transplantation?. Clinical Liver Disease, 6(6), 149-152.
Moss, A. H., & Siegler, M. (2015). Should alcoholics
compete equally for liver transplantation?. Bioethics: An
Anthology, 421-427.
Bedford, S., & Jones, E. (2014). Should lifestyle choices
affect access to transplant. Nurs Times, 110(30), 16-8.
Doane, A. (2014). The Dilemma of Liver Transplant
Allocation for Alcoholic Patients. Gastroenterology
Nursing, 37(5), 318-325.