Comparison of organ donation and transplantation rates between opt-out and opt-in systems

Opt-out organ donation without presumptions.

This paper defends an 'opt-out' scheme for organ procurement, by distinguishing this system from 'presumed consent' (which the author regards as an erroneous justification of it). It, first, stresses the moral importance of increasing the supply of organs and argues that making donation easier need not conflict with altruism. It then goes on to explore one way that donation can be increased, na...

Title:an International Comparison of Deceased and Living Organ Donation/transplant Rates in Opt-in and Opt-out Systems: a Panel Study

An international comparison of deceased and living organ donation/transplant rates in opt-in and opt-out systems: a panel study

BACKGROUND Policy decisions about opt-in and opt-out consent for organ donation are based on limited evidence. To fill this gap we investigated the difference between deceased and living organ donation rates in opt-in and opt-out consent systems across a 13 year period. We controlled for extensive covariates and estimated the causal effect of consent with instrumental variables analysis. METH...

Let's not opt out: kidney donation and transplantation.

In his long and well-argued paper in the Journal of medical ethics' lawyer Ian Kennedy persuasively and attractively deploys arguments in favour of changing the Human Tissue Act2 from the present two tier form to an 'opting out' system. The foundations from which he launches his arguments appear at first sight to be impregnable; firstly, there is the ambiguity of wording in the Act which for ma...

The potential impact of an opt-out system for organ donation in the UK.

The recent report of the UK government's Organ Donation Taskforce is in favour of continuing with the current organ donation system rather than changing to an opt-out system where people are assumed to be willing to donate. How did it reach this decision and is it correct?