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ARTICLE |

Anencephalic Infants as Organ Donors FREE

Jamil H. Khan, MD
JAMA. 1995;274(22):1758-1758. doi:10.1001/jama.1995.03530220023013
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To the Editor.  —The AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs1 has changed its previous position and now supports the use of live anencephalic infants as organ donors. However, in their report, fundamental issues relating to the definition of personhood and even the definition of life and death are not adequately addressed.In undermining the "dead donor"2 rule, the report seems to be arguing for "cortical death"—the absence of higher brain function as a new definition of death—without overtly stating this point. A circumstance in which higher brain function is not present and will never be possible is the defining feature of the reasoning used by the Council. This fundamental change in defining life and death needs open discussion and a broad-based consensus before being adopted.Other clinical situations occur in which an argument can be made for organ procurement from a living donor. A severely asphyxiated neonate

REFERENCES

Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association.  The use of anencephalic neonates as organ donors. JAMA . 1995;;273:1614-1618.
Shewmon DA, Capron AM, Peacock WJ, Schulman BL.  The use of anencephalic infants as organ donors: a critique. JAMA . 1989;;261:1773-1781.
Peabody JCL, Emery JR, Ashwal S.  Experience with anencephalic infants as prospective organ donors. N Engl J Med . 1989;;321:344-350.
Golden JA, Chernoff CF.  Multiple sites of anterior neural tube closure in humans: evidence from anterior neural tube defects (anencephaly). Pediatrics . 1995;;95:506-510.

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Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association.  The use of anencephalic neonates as organ donors. JAMA . 1995;;273:1614-1618.
Shewmon DA, Capron AM, Peacock WJ, Schulman BL.  The use of anencephalic infants as organ donors: a critique. JAMA . 1989;;261:1773-1781.
Peabody JCL, Emery JR, Ashwal S.  Experience with anencephalic infants as prospective organ donors. N Engl J Med . 1989;;321:344-350.
Golden JA, Chernoff CF.  Multiple sites of anterior neural tube closure in humans: evidence from anterior neural tube defects (anencephaly). Pediatrics . 1995;;95:506-510.
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