Ethical Compliance Framework for Blockchain-Enabled Tissue and Organ Transportation Systems

Blockchain technology has become a ground-breaking innovation to improve tissue and organ transportation (T/OT) systems’ operational efficiency, transparency, traceability, security, and trustworthiness. However, its application in this critical domain necessitates a stringent commitment to fundamental ethical principles, including respect for autonomy, non-maleficence and beneficence, fairness, and privacy. This study explores how an ethical compliance framework should be designed for blockchain-enabled platforms in the context of T/OT, a process characterised by sensitive, multi-stakeholder data sharing. A significant contribution of this study is the development of an “Ethical Compliance Checklist,” a foundational tool designed to guide the ethical evaluation and enhancement of blockchain platforms. Furthermore, the study presents a comprehensive end-to-end scenario to illustrate the practical applicability of the proposed framework in a real-world T/OT context, thereby enhancing conceptual clarity. This work lays a crucial foundation for the design and implementation of a novel blockchain framework specifically dedicated to addressing the unique ethical challenges of T/OT. The study underscores the potential for blockchain technology to deliver transparent, equitable, and ethically sound digital solutions in healthcare, fostering greater trustworthiness in these critical applications. As part of future work, the technical implementation and empirical evaluation of the proposed end-to-end scenario will be conducted to assess its practical feasibility and potential impact on ethical compliance in T/OT systems