The dream of consensus: Finding common ground in a bioethical context

Consensus is the holy grail of bioethics, the lynch pin of the assumption t hat well informed, well intentioned people may reach generally acceptable p ositions on ethically contentious issues. It has been especially important in bioethics, where advancing technology has assured an increasing field of complex medical dilemmas. This paper results on the use of a multicriterio n decision making system (MCDM) analyzing group process in an attempt to be tter define hospital policy. In a pilot program at The Hospital for Sick Ch ildren, Toronto, a series of small scale focus groups was constituted to ex amine criteria defining organ transplant eligibility. Criteria were organiz ed hierarchically using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, an MCDM approach, a nd the resulting data was analyzed using Expert Choice 9.0, software design ed to facilitate AHP analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analysis map ba rriers to practical consensus in a way not previously possible.