Organ Donation Legislation Research Articles

Does organ donation legislation affect individuals' willingness to donate their own or their relative's organs? Evidence from European Union survey data

BackgroundMaintaining adequately high organ donation rates proves essential to offering patients all appropriate and available treatment options. However, the act of donation is in itself an individual decision that requires a depth of understanding that interacts with the social setting and the institutional framework into which an individual is embedded. This study contributes to understanding factors driving organ donation rates by examining how country regulation, individuals' awareness of regulatory setting, social interactions and socio-demographic determinants influence individuals' willingness to donate their own organs or those of a relative.MethodsWe draw representative data from the Eurobarometer survey 58.2 undertaken in 2002 with respondents throughout the European Union to capture heterogeneity in institutional setting. We use logistic regression techniques to estimate the determinants of willingness to donate one's own organs and those of a deceased relative. We employ interaction terms to examine the relationship between institutional setting and respondent's awareness of organ donation legislation in their country.ResultsOur findings indicate that individuals are more likely to donate their organs than to consent to the donation of a relative's organs. Both decisions are affected by regulation (presumed consent), awareness of regulation and social interactions such as the ability to count on others in case of a serious problem (reciprocity). Furthermore, education (more educated), age (younger), expressing some sort of political affiliation determine willingness to donate one's own organs and consent to the donation of those of a relative.ConclusionThis study confirms and develops further previous research findings that presumed consent organ donation policy positively affects the willingness of individuals to donate their own organs and those of relative by highlighting the importance of awareness of this regulation and an individual's level of social interactions in making choices about donation. Results found using interaction terms underline the importance of population awareness of organ donation legislation as well as the legislation type itself. Findings also point to the role of social interactions in influencing individuals' willingness to donate their organs or those of a relative.

Epidemiological issue on voluntary organ donation and brain death legislation

近年来,医学界、伦理学界、法学界以及大众传媒对我国脑死亡立法问题给予积极的关注.大部分医务工作者都认为脑死亡立法势在必行,亦有少数人认为在中国脑死亡立法为时尚早,更多人则是持观望态度.在脑死亡立法时机上存在分歧是正常现象.这些分歧有待进行更深入的探讨,以便加深对脑死亡的理解,推动脑死亡立法的进程.同时,我们注意到,在讨论过程中有些概念(例如植物状态、永久性植物状态、脑死亡等),以及一些原则性的问题(例如脑死亡立法的意义、脑死亡立法的目的、脑死亡诊断的适用人群等)并没有得到很好的阐述,从而使得很多人对脑死亡及其立法产生误解和恐惧.鉴于以上情况,我们就器官捐赠及脑死亡立法方面存在较大争议的问题提出如下个人研究观点,以供参考。