African Americans and Organ Donation: Reflections on Religion, Ethics and Embodiment

Abstract

Among the most remarkable achievements of modern medicine is the transplantation of organs, especially vital organs such as the kidney, heart and liver, to save or enhance the lives of persons whose diseased organs have failed. There are two sources of vital organs for transplantation: (1) cadaver donors, persons who are “brain dead,” whose families must give consent for the procurement of organs and tissues, and (2) living donors who, in most cases, can elect to give one of their two kidneys, usually to a close relative. However, there is a chronic shortage of organs for transplantation in the United States, largely because of widespread public reluctance to grant permission for organ donation. This is an especially difficult problem for African Americans who experience high rates of renal failure, yet provide relatively few organs for transplant purposes.