Affiliations: University of Vienna, Faculty of Law, Vienna,
Austria | Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington,
DC, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Jürgen Wallner, Universität Wien,
Rechtswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Institut für Ethik und Recht in der
Medizin, c/o Institut für Rechtsphilosophie, Religions- und Kulturrecht.
Schenkenstrasse 8-10/2/4, AT-1010 Vienna, Austria. Tel.: +43 1 4277 35803; Fax:
+43 1 4277 9358; E-mail: juergen.wallner@univie.ac.at
Abstract: Background: Blood and plasma (b&p) are crucial but scarce
resources for medical therapies. Collecting b&p poses technical and
ethical challenges, as can be observed when it comes to regulation. Objective: To provide ethical orientation for organizing and regulating the
donation and collection of b&p. Method: Analysis of ethical
theories in regard to their potentials to reach the objective. Results:
The ongoing ethical debate between paid vs. unpaid b&p donation is
shaped by a 'simple b&p ethics' approach that focuses on the individual
donor and the existence or non-existence of one motivation: altruism.
Utilitarian and deontological ethics come to different conclusions but
basically apply the same simple approach. In contrast, forms of 'complex
b&p ethics' acknowledge the ambiguity of altruism, try to find a common
framework for the plurality of motives to give b&p (contractualism), or
point out that giving b&p is part of a good life (virtue ethics).
Complex b&p ethics furthermore widens the perspective from the
individual donor to the collecting organization and the donation/collection
regime and critically assesses them. Conclusion: Neither 'gift fetishism'
nor total commodification seem to be ethically sound ways of enabling people to
live good lives. Those engaged in b&p collection will be well advised to
acknowledge the complex plurality of motives while simultaneously upholding the
caring nature of b&p donation, collection, and distribution.
Keywords: Blood donors, plasma, ethics, altruism, gift giving
