Ethics of Using ‘John Doe’ Organs

There is a high potential for abuse when hospitals harvest human organs from unidentified patients, as described in the article “Unidentified Man’s Heart Used in Transplant” (Aug. 29).

Before we begin seeing bird-doggers and bounty hunters out there looking for such “donors,” the laws governing this procedure need to be strengthened.

For example, what is the specific definition of diligent search ?

Granted we have high-tech communications these days, but with the mobility of our society it is possible for people to simply disappear for some time without other family members knowing, or even being concerned, about their whereabouts.

I realize that hospitals need fresh organs, but is 24 hours really enough time to search for a missing person? Many such reports are not even filed within that time frame. To protect themselves from lawsuits as well as questionable ethics, hospitals need more explicit guidelines before committing the organs of John or Jane Doe to another’s body.

The hospital, in the first case, was extremely lucky when the unidentified man’s family came forward to say that it was all right that his heart had been taken. But then, transplanted organs are difficult to repossess.

What else could they have said?

MARTHA ABELL

Seal Beach