Question

In pandemic situation, a person A observed that plasma is extracted from the blood for transfusion purpose to cure from Covid-19 while blood comes from well-wishers for the sake of donation. But most of the people are waiting for the donor to donate their blood from which plasma can be extracted. Due to this deficiency of blood donor, there is a great need of blood. He examined this situation and took it as an opportunity for a valuable business. Therefore, he started to locate the donors who are willing to donate their blood free of cost and also found such persons who are agreed to give his blood on a very low price. After collecting the blood, he sold his collection on very high price and made a high profit through this. Discuss this scenario and suggest your opinion considering different ethical theories in mind.

Answer 1

Answer:

Taking the blood from one person at a very low cost and selling it to the needy people or the hospital at a very high cost; given the situation of pandemic; is absolutely unethical on the part of ‘A’. He should not engage himself in such activity of taking benefits of the people during this hard time.

The ethical theory that is at stake in this situation is the utilitarian theory. Person ‘A’ has unethically collected the blood from the people for which he was not authorised to do so. Moreover, he sold that blood to the needy people at a very high price. Thus ‘A’ has contradicted the utilitarian theory as he has not done greatest good for the greatest number of people.