UGCC appeals for a gradual and thought-out approach to the process of increasing organ transplantation in Ukraine

Sunday, 25 November 2012, 11:42

“The Church looks positively on the issue of organ donations. In the Catholic Church it is perceived as a charity, a sacrifice from the donor to the person who can benefit from this assistance. However, totally unacceptable to the Church is the idea of marketing organs. The issue should be only about donation, and not about selling of organs,” stated Rev. Andriy Nahirniak, UGCC Assistant on Social Issues, in the Internet edition of Forum in his comments on the draft of a law submitted by Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to Parliament, according to which every Ukrainian can become a donor of organs after his death, if during his life he did not legally file a refusal.

Rev. Andriy Nahirniak emphasized that the Church is against the commercialization of the donor process. Such a process is morally unacceptable because through it the body becomes a purchase or sale object, thereby lowering the dignity of a human being. However, a disinterested donation is perfectly fine and the Church looks on it favorably. “We also support that there be a conscious and voluntary decision of the individual” emphasized the Church representative.

He also noted that the introduction of such a law in Ukraine right now may be premature. “Unfortunately, the level of legal awareness and the rule of the law in our society are far from what it should be. Therefore, attention should be paid as to whether the introduction of the ‘presumed consent’, when all who do not file a refusal agree to the transplanting of their organs, would evoke some abuse due to the lack of the rule of law in our society. It is in this aspect that we have certain fears.”

Also, according to the priest, there is another significant moment in the Church’s eyes -- the issue of increasing the transplanting process, especially implementing the presumption of consent, should begin and continue hand in hand with all manners of awareness and educational efforts, particularly informational: explanation to a wide circle of citizens, exactly what organ donation involves.

“Simultaneously, we are somewhat worried as to how ready our society is to an implementation of such a law. At first there has to be massive preparatory work. It is vital to explain in great detail the principles of ‘presumed consent’. People should be informed in how all this takes place. And again, given the current state of our society, we wonder how much this will be done and would it not be worthwhile to begin exactly with this? But instead of beginning with a public outreach information effort, a draft law is being proposed. It is important that prior to the ratification of this law, there be a public awareness effort, focusing on this topic, which runs a year or several years,” insisted the Church representative.

He named Spain as a positive example of public awareness outreach done on the issue of transplanting organs. “In Spain, with the assistance of the Catholic Church, it was possible to change society’s attitude towards transplantation resulting in the emergence of a very positive perception of this process. However, they took great responsibility in how they approached it. There was a public awareness campaign aimed at developing a positive attitude to this process in society as well as informing every person,” narrates. Rev. Andriy.

UGCC Department of Information