Are face transplant candidates choosing autonomously? A preliminary method to evaluate autonomous choosing in psychosocial and bioethical assessments

Farías-Yapur, Anneke

doi:10.3389/frtra.2024.1346667

Are face transplant candidates choosing autonomously? A preliminary method to evaluate autonomous choosing in psychosocial and bioethical assessments

Journal

Frontiers in Transplantation

ISSN

2813-2440

Date Issued

2024

Author(s)

Farías-Yapur, Anneke

Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud - CampCM

Type

text::journal::journal article

DOI

10.3389/frtra.2024.1346667

URL

https://scripta.up.edu.mx/handle/20.500.12552/11507

Abstract

This report proposes a framework for evaluating the validity of informed consent and autonomy in face transplant candidates, taking into account the risk of depression and non-compliance. Traditional factors like decisional capacity, disclosure, comprehension, voluntariness, and agreement are insufficient for assessing valid informed consent in individuals whose self-worth relies on public perception, potentially leading to self-harm if societal worth is undermined. Reliance on self-esteem, rather than inherent personal value, poses risks of depression, poor treatment adherence, and deferential vulnerability. We suggest a qualitative analysis of self-worth, self-esteem, self-trust, and self-respect to better assess the autonomy of face transplant candidates in their decision-making process.