Death, Dying, and Organ Transplantation
Reconstructing Medical Ethics at the End of Life

In Death, Dying, and Organ Transplantation: Reconstructing Medical Ethics at the End of Life, Miller and Truog challenge fundamental doctrines of established medical ethics. They argue systematically that physicians legitimately cause the death of patients in the routine practices of withdrawing life support and vital organ donation.

After detailing the factual and conceptual errors surrounding current practices of determining death for the purpose of organ donation, the authors develop a novel ethical account of procuring vital organs. In the context of reasonable plans to withdraw life support, still-living patients are not harmed or wronged by organ donation prior to their death, provided that valid consent has been obtained for stopping treatment and for organ donation. Recognizing practical difficulties in facing the truth regarding organ donation, the authors also develop a pragmatic alternative account based on the concept of transparent legal fictions. In sum, Miller and Truog argue that in order to preserve the legitimacy of end-of-life practices, we need to reconstruct medical ethics.

PREFACE
1.
WITHDRAWING LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT:
ALLOWING TO DIE OR CAUSING DEATH?
2. ACTIVE EUTHANASIA
3. DEATH AND THE BRAIN
4. CHALLENGES TO A CIRCULATORY-RESPIRATORY CRITERION FOR DEATH
5. DONATION AFTER CIRCULATORY DETERMINATION OF DEATH
6. VITAL ORGAN DONATION WITHOUT THE DEAD DONOR RULE
7. LEGAL FICTIONS APPROACH TO ORGAN DONATION
8. EPILOGUE