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Perception of Health-Care Professionals on Presumed Consent in Formulation of Proper Organ Transplantation Regulatory
1Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Background:
Owing to the advancement in organ transplantation, treating an individual with organ failure in today's world has become possible. However, organ transplantation is lagging in the absence of adequate organ donations. Shortage of organs for transplantation is a challenge to developing countries like Nepal and developed countries like the USA and UK. Despite various efforts to increase the rate of organ donation, the problem persists. The primary reason for the failure to accomplish adequacy in organ do-nation is the immediate dependency on an available donor. On top of that, reluctance to decide on organ donation after death, regarded as an onerous moment, at least by the general public, has another impact on the subject. Some countries have shifted while some are planning to change from an informed consent system to a presumed consent system, in which if an individual does not make any decision during life-time, it is presumed that his/her organ can be removed for organ transplantation after death.
Objective:
To perceive the perception of healthcare professionals of the tertiary care centre of eastern Nepal regarding the presumed consent system.
Methods:
Purposive sampling of 221 health care professionals (Faculties, Nursing In-charges, Lab-technicians, and Radiology technicians) participated in the study.
Results:
Most healthcare professionals (90.5%) support using a presumed consent system in Nepal and agree on considering the family's opinion in the decision-making for cadaveric organ donation.
Conclusion:
Most healthcare professionals have shown their perception in favors of presumed consent to support the increasing organ donation rate.
Insights
Most healthcare professionals in Nepal support a presumed consent system for organ donation. This approach, where consent is assumed unless explicitly denied, could help increase organ availability for transplantation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Transplantation Medicine
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- Organ transplantation advancements offer life-saving treatments for organ failure.
- A critical shortage of organ donors persists globally, impacting both developing and developed nations.
- Current organ donation systems face challenges due to donor dependency and public reluctance to decide on post-mortem donation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess healthcare professionals' perceptions of the presumed consent system for organ donation in eastern Nepal.
- To understand the potential impact of presumed consent on organ donation rates in the region.
Main Methods:
- A purposive sampling method was employed.
- The study included 221 healthcare professionals from a tertiary care center in eastern Nepal.
- Participants included faculties, nursing in-charges, lab technicians, and radiology technicians.
Main Results:
- A significant majority (90.5%) of healthcare professionals endorsed the presumed consent system for Nepal.
- There was consensus on the importance of considering family opinions in cadaveric organ donation decisions.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare professionals in eastern Nepal largely favor a presumed consent system to improve organ donation rates.
- The findings suggest a potential shift towards presumed consent policies to address the organ shortage.
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