Face Transplants: Are they ethical?

[painted wolf]

I think that giving this woman a chance to have a working face, lips and chin a wonderful thing.
I'm certen that the Doctors worked closely with the woman to determine that she was willing and mentally able to undergo the procedure.

This wasn't just some lark... it is a procedure that is intended to give hope and restore functional use of a vital part of the body. Loosing ones nose and lips arn't simply cosmetic changes... they effect the function of the face. Lips are nessisary for speach, eating, and nonverbal communication. The nose is vital to the sence of not only smell but taste additionally it is also used in fighting illness like viruses.

We arn't talking about seeking a new identity here... we are talking about restoring functionality to a damaged part of the human body. How is this less ethical than artifical limbs?

wa:do

 

[anders]

we are talking about restoring functionality to a damaged part of the human body. How is this less ethical than artifical limbs?

Frubalistic.

When I first read of this case, long before finding this OP, I cried out of happiness, because of her having a face again. There are people who manage in spite of having a disfigured face (the mayor of my town is one example), but I think that in most cases, people need a rather uninjured face to be able to lead a somewhat normal life.

On a tangent, I would like to know more details about the dog's behaviour. On the surface, it seems to have flipped out completely. But -

I once walked (where's the overstrike code? rather jogged) a neighbour Alsatian on a bright winter day. On our usual 1 h plus round, it turned out that a slope was 100% ice. I lost my footing, and before I could brake, we were not too slowly sliding down for some 30 ft. My pal evidently got nervous, and started nibbling at my nose and ear. I sure did feel it, but fortunately, he didn't even draw blood. I think.

It all ended on a happy note; I found a sapling to grab, and a safer route. We still were friends, until an intestinal tumour got him.

 

[fromthe heart]

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