Are organ donations expressions of altruism or solidarity? Toward a moral economy of transplantation medicine

Organ donations are often referred to as tokens of altruism. Media representations of organ donation tend to emphasize its heroic features by using idioms such as “gift of life.” But is “altruism” the appropriate framing for organ donations? In this paper, I delve into the moral economy of organ donations. I contend that altruism is a misnomer for organ donations and suggest replacing it with the concept of solidarity. After discussing the analytical and conceptual differences between altruism and solidarity, I’m introducing the different ontologies of living and deceased organ donations, asking whether they meet criteria of altruism or solidarity. I conclude by arguing that, although central to the discourse on organ donations, altruism does not capture the nuances of organ donation patterns. Rather I propose to depict the moral economy of organ donations as embedded in different donation realities that tend, in different contexts, to be more solidarity driven than altruistic. Referring to sentiments of solidarity rather than altruism as motivation for organ donations, however, must be inclusive as possible and maintain the rule of unconditional donation.