There is still a great need to educate the public about organ donation. Despite continuing advances in medicine and technology and the fact that we have some of the most skilled surgeons in the world, the demand for organs drastically exceeds the number of organ donors. The lungs are the only organs of the respiratory system that can be transplanted. Lung transplants involve taking lung sections from living donors or whole lungs from brain-dead donors whose heart is still beating. No organs are taken without the family's consent or the donor's consent as indicated by this person's signature on the back of the health insurance card. The shortage of transplant organs is due in part to these restrictions.

In your opinion, should organs be removed without the consent of the deceased person or his or her family if this is the only way to save someone's life?

You will be asked to take a stand on this issue at the end of the module, but you can start thinking about it now.