Improving the Supply and Quality of Deceased-Donor Organs for Transplantation

Abstract

To the Editor: Tullius and Rabb (May 17 issue)1 thoroughly describe current evidence regarding strategies to reduce the gap between the demand and supply of organs for transplantation. We also think it is relevant to discuss the importance of legislation on consent during a person’s lifetime for organ donation after death. Whereas many countries, including the United States, have an opt-in system in which the donation of organs from deceased persons requires specific consent, other countries have adopted an opt-out system, which is also known as presumed consent. The opt-out system considers deceased persons to be potential donors in the .