Transplantation: ethical and legal considerations

Successful organ transplantation leads to an improved duration and quality of life. Most organs are currently supplied from cadaveric donors. However, demand for such organs far exceeds supply and thus other sources are needed, such as from non-heart-beating donors and increasingly from live donors. The whole subject of organ transplantation leads to many ethical and legal dilemmas, the most controversial of which is the trade in human organs. The issue of consent also is central to many of the discussions relating to donation.