Medical Ethics Discussion Question

Respond to the question below. Your response should be one or two paragraphs in length.  Also, briefly justify your viewpoint by relating it to specific ethical principles, codes or theories.  For the subject line, write either “Abortion Case,” “Bone Marrow,” and “Ethical Conflict.”

Lenth:   1 page

Format: MLA

 

Question:  Bill has a cousin, Tom, who is dying. Tom will die in a few weeks if he does not receive a bone marrow transplant from a compatible donor. Bill is the only relative who has been tested to be a bone marrow match for Tom. Bone marrow donors may experience a few weeks of discomfort and fatigue but most do no long-term negative effects from the transplant. There are slight risks of infection, nerve damage or adverse reaction to anesthesia. Do you think that Bill is morally obligated to donate his bone marrow to save his dying cousin? Would it be morally wrong of Bill to refuse to donate his bone marrow? Why or why not? What ethical principle/theories are in conflict in this case?