Opt-out, mandated choice and informed consent

A number of authors criticise opt-out (or ‘deemed consent’) systems for failing to secure valid consent to organ donation. Further, several suggest that mandated choice offers a more ethical alternative. This article responds to criticisms that opt-out does not secure informed consent. If we assume...

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Autore principale: Saunders, Ben (Autore)
Tipo di documento: Elettronico Articolo
Lingua:Inglese
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Pubblicazione: Wiley-Blackwell 2023
In: Bioethics
Anno: 2023, Volume: 37, Fascicolo: 9, Pagine: 862-868
Notazioni IxTheo:NCH Etica della medicina
XA Diritto
Altre parole chiave:B presumed consent
B mandated choice
B Consent
B Organs
B Donation
B opt-out
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Riepilogo:A number of authors criticise opt-out (or ‘deemed consent’) systems for failing to secure valid consent to organ donation. Further, several suggest that mandated choice offers a more ethical alternative. This article responds to criticisms that opt-out does not secure informed consent. If we assume current (low) levels of public awareness, then the explicit consent secured under mandated choice will not be informed either. Conversely, a mandated choice policy might be justifiable if accompanied by a significant public education campaign. However, if this entitles us to assume that members of the public are informed, then an opt-out system would also be justified in the same circumstances. The alleged advantages of mandated choice seem to rest on an unfair comparison, between mandated choice with a public education campaign and an opt-out system without one. While it may be that some countries with opt-out systems should do more to inform their publics, I see no reason to assume that this cannot be done. Indeed, advocates of mandated choice seem committed to thinking it possible to raise awareness. If opt-out systems adopt the same methods, such as writing to every individual, this should also address concerns about whether consent is informed.
ISSN:1467-8519
Comprende:Enthalten in: Bioethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/bioe.13228