Blog

Mrs. Jones has signed a donor card indicating her willingness to donate her body to science without informing her husband or son. She is involved in an accident and it is determined that she is brain dead. The family doctor, who is on call that afternoon, looks over the chart and decides she would be ideal for medical students to practice organ removal for transplantation purposes. The doctor then meets with the family to discuss the procedure and obtain their permission. They are both opposed to the procedure and refuse to allow their doctor to proceed. Mrs. Jones, the doctor points out, could be helping hundreds of people by educating medical students, and technically consent has already been provided. The husband recognizes the value of the educational experience but is too emotionally invested to allow them to continue. The son, a medical student, refuses because he is aware that the bodies are not treated with respect. How would you proceed if you were the doctor? Why?