Attitudes Toward Clinical and Social Issues in Organ Procurement

Abstract

Organ supply depends on the active cooperation of several groups. The general public is the ultimate source of all human organs, but certain medical professionals have a key role in the process as well. In fact, the cooperation of these medical professionals antedates in time and overshadows in impact the role the giving public plays. The sequence of organ procurement must start with a referral from a hospital. Within this context, a “referral” contains two elements—a call from a clinician informing an organ procurement agency that one of his patients has been, or shortly will be, declared dead by brain-death criteria and an invitation to determine if that patient is a suitable organ donor. This is the first step in the organ procurement process and, while it is not sufficient, it is a necessary condition for a successful procurement. Its central importance flows from its placement in time and from the difficulty Organ Procurement Agencies (OPAs) have in bringing it about.