Der Anaesthesist
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Modern medicine has succeeded in achieving enormous technical developments. One recent highlight has been the introduction of postmortem organ transplantation. At the same time, serious objections have been raised concerning the radical changes in the cultural conception of the inviolable body. ⋯ The beneficiary of the treatment is not the donor, but another person, the recipient. The concept of human dignity does not allow the use of a person for purposes other than the ones he/she consents to, as Immanual Kant stated. Although the human corpse is not a person in the full sense, even if it is protected by the thought of respect for the former person, the life-interest of the organ recipient had to be considered legitimate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)