Letter

Elective ventilation of potential organ donors

BMJ 1995; 311 doi: 10.1136/bmj.311.7010.950 (Published 7 October 1995)
Cite this as: BMJ 1995;311:950.1

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  1. J Fabre
  1. President British Transplantation Society Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH

    EDITOR,--Elective ventilation of deeply comatose patients close to death in order to preserve their organs for transplantation is in breach of the common law requirement that medical treatment be directed to the patient's benefit. There is no implication, however, that elective ventilation is harmful to the patient. The legal issue is purely that of the intention of the medical intervention.

    This law aims to protect the patient's best interests. Contrary to the point made by Alex manara and Claire …

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