The impact of presumed consent laws and institutions on deceased organ donation

This article purports to advance the literature on the impact of presumed consent laws on deceased donation rates by examining the interactions between a presumed consent legal regime and other customs and institutions, using data on health expenditure, death rates caused by cerebro vascular diseases, motor vehicle accidents and homicides, legislation, legal systems, family consent, civil rights and liberties and donor registry systems, for 24 countries over a 14-year period. Countries in which presumed consent is enacted exhibit significantly higher donation rates only if family consent is routinely sought and a combined registry is maintained or neither practice is administered. Otherwise, presumed consent legislation does not have a sizeable impact on deceased donation rates.