[Avodah] lo taamod?

[Joel Rich]

The most recent Headlines podcast began with reports of two halachic
authorities who said that even if the person on their deathbed said not
to use their body for life-saving transplants, the doctor was allowed
to ignore them. The only reason not to do so would be because they would
lose their medical license

[I found the podcast at <https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ydhfj-13ea3a2>
-micha]

A few initial questions popped into my mind.

The first is why say allowed and not required? If it's life-saving
wouldn't lo taamod require the doctor to do so?

The second was assuming there are local civil laws against ignoring,
even if nobody would find out about transplants, would the doctor be
allowed to violate them? (I assume this may turn on how broad a scope
we give dina dmalchuta)

Perhaps more importantly, I wonder about how the issue of chillul hashem
is taken into account and how our desire to have others respect our laws
would trade-off against not granting them the same courtesy?

Thoughts?

KT
Joel Rich