Is solid organ donation by living donors ethical? The case of kidney donation

In this paper, we argue that living kidney donation involves a violation of the principle of non-maleficence, to "do no harm." It is, therefore, morally wrong for physicians, surgeons, and other medical professionals to be involved in such a practice. Using kidney donation as an example, we discuss recent literature on both short-term and long-term risks to the kidney donor and argue that such risks make the practice of living donor nephrectomy unethical. By extension, the even more risky donation of other solid organs during life is also unethical.