Published 21 April 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b701
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b701

Editorials

Improving relatives’ consent to organ donation

Most factors involved in the process can be modified to increase success

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Obtaining consent from families for organ donation is the most important element of a successful transplant programme. In a recent large study of donor and non-donor families, 57% of families were predisposed to donate, 17% were unsure, and 25% were not in favour.¹ The challenge is to secure consent from those people who are predisposed to donate, convert a substantial proportion of those who are unsure, and convert a smaller proportion of those who are initially not in favour. In the right circumstances this approach can achieve an 80% consent rate.

In the linked systematic review (doi:10.1136/bmj.b991), Simpkin and colleagues identify modifiable factors that influence relatives’ decisions to allow organ donation. They conclude that modifying the process of requesting consent may be the best way to increase organ donation rates in the United Kingdom.² In a review published in the BMJ earlier this year, Rithalia and colleagues assess . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ LifeGift Organ Donation Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Koschack, J. (2009). Informed choice, not coercion. BMJ 339: b4511-b4511 [Full text]  
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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Improving relatives’ consent to organ donation is it simple task?

Mohamad Said Maani Takrouri
bmj.com, 25 Apr 2009 [Full text]

Increasing rates of acceptance does not equal “improving consent”

Tom P Hayes
bmj.com, 5 Jun 2009 [Full text]

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