The recent death of Mike Hurewitz, age 57, who died after donating a portion of his liver to his brother, raises new ethical questions about institutional and societal obligations for protecting the vulnerabilities of the living donor insofar as possible. The untimely death of Mr Hurewitz now becomes a part of the continuing debate on the ethical issues surrounding the donation of organs by living donors. The brother-recipient is out of the hospital and reportedly doing well. Though, one can only surmise that his recovery is impacted by grief over the loss of his brother’s life.

According to the New York Times, Mr Hurewitz, a reporter for the Times Union of Albany, choked to death at 3:40 pm on January 13, 3 days after donating a portion of his liver to his physician brother. Mr Hurewitz was in a transplant unit in which 34 patients were being cared for...

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