Keele University to hold public lectures on ethics of organ transplantation

Sep 16 2010

Keele University is set to hold a series of three public lectures looking at the ethics of organ transplantation.

The series will be given by Martin Wilkinson, a Leverhulme Visiting Professor at Keele University and an international expert on transplantation.

In the first lecture, on Wednesday, October 6, Professor Wilkinson will introduce the topic of organ transplantation and explain why so few organs are available from dead donors.

The second, on Wednesday, November 17, will focus on whether and when it is ethically right to take organs from healthy people. 

At the third, on Wednesday, December 8, Professor Wilkinson will argue that a change to the 'opt out' system would not make much difference to the supply of organs and, controversially, that people should be allowed to sell their organs.

Professor Wilkinson is ordinarily based in the Department of Political Studies at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. At Keele, he is visiting the Centre for Professional Ethics (PEAK) and the Research Centre for Law, Ethics & Society within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

He is the author of Freedom, Efficiency and Equality (Palgrave, 2000) and has published numerous academic papers on transplantation and, more generally, on the politics, philosophy and economics of health.

All three lectures are open to the public and will take place in the Westminster Theatre, Chancellor's Building, Keele University, from 6pm to 7.30pm. For further information, please contact Tracey Wood on 01782 734577.