Published 20 May 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b2011
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2011

Letters

Barriers to organ donation

Shouldn’t be a family affair

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

I don’t understand why I am able to give all my goods to whomever I specify after my death and there is no involvement of my family or anyone else whereas when I try to make a gift of organs my family have an entitlement to deny my wishes. This makes no sense at all.

Efforts to increase the availability of organs should concentrate on changing the law to make it clear that the wishes of the donor, expressed in advance, are sufficient to proceed.1 We can discuss how to ensure that everyone is guided into expressing his or her wishes.

Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2011

Colin Ferguson, consultant in intensive care1

1 Plymouth PL6 8DH

colin.ferguson@phnt.swest.nhs.uk

Competing interests: None declared.

  1. Simpkin AL, Robertson LC, Barber VS, Young JD. Modifiable factors influencing relatives’ decision to offer organ donation: systematic review. BMJ 2009;338:b991. (21 April.)[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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Relevant Article

Modifiable factors influencing relatives’ decision to offer organ donation: systematic review
Arabella L Simpkin, Laura C Robertson, Vicki S Barber, and J Duncan Young
BMJ 2009 338: b991. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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