Abstract
Organ transplantation can not only protect patients’ right to health but also promote social and economic utilities. However, the gap between the organ demand and supply remain great. Some then proposed that allowing organ trade might increase the organ supply. But most countries (including Taiwan) still prohibit organ trade. Therefore, based upon autonomy this study aimed to analyze the justifications of organ trade in Taiwan’s pluralistic society. Rethinking organ trade from the autonomy perspective is important because: (1) autonomy is the profound benefit to individuals in the pluralistic society; (2) autonomy plays an important role in the issues concerning organ trade, and (3) autonomy can provide a normative criteria to review organ trade. By applying liberalism, communitarianism and Confucianism (the representative ideology of Chinese communities), this study proposed “the autonomy model for organ trade” This study argued that: First, if removing the organ would not undermine an individual’s personal identity nor restrict his/her basic capabilities, such an organ then can be subject to trading. Second, even if the individual is allowed to sell certain organs, the context of his/her consent should be carefully explored on the basis of both his/her values and social and family relationships. Third, the individual should be guaranteed an environment to freely make his/her decisions without coercion, force or fraud.