Comments(1)

Consent to organ donation

David Wainwright Evans (30 July 2007) Queens' College, University of Cambridge (UK)

The authors' call for "a consent process characterized by full disclosure of relevant information about organ donation and procurement procedures critical to the decision making about organ donation" is most welcome and timely, although not new.

Many earlier calls have gone unheeded by the Department of Health in the UK. As a consequence, many of those who have been persuaded to register as prospective donors(on the NHS Organ Donor Register - NHSODR)may have done so on a false premise. They may have been deceived by the wording "after my death" on the application forms, which carry no explanation (or even admission) of the fact that the crucial term "death" is likely to be interpreted very differently by those certifying death for transplant purposes from the state they (the prospective donors) had in mind when completing the forms.

This situation, where the "consent" of many who are already on the NHSODR is of very doubtful validity, is likely to be exacerbated by the call, last week, by the Chief Medical Officer (backed by the BMA)for "presumed consent" to become the norm. At least until universal public education, as envisaged by Verheijde and colleagues, has been achieved, such "consent" must be seen as no consent at all since it cannot be assumed to be fully and fairly informed.

Competing interests

None

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Comments(1)

Recovery of transplantable organs after cardiac or circulatory death: Transforming the paradigm for the ethics of organ donation

Consent to organ donation