Elective ventilation of potential organ donors

doi:10.1136/bmj.311.7010.950

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J Fabre

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 …