Removing organs from anencephalic infants: ethical and legal considerations.

Removing organs from anencephalic infants for transplantation into other infants offers benefits to the recipients, the family of the anencephalic infant, and to society. No interest of the anencephalic infant appears to be violated. Nonetheless, there are serious ethical and legal barriers to such proposals, primarily owing to risks for other patients whose interests might be at risk if barriers against killing were weakened. Five proposals for avoiding these pitfalls are analyzed. There should be consensus on the justifications for such transplants before the practice becomes accepted.