Impact of presumed consent for organ donation on donation rates: a systematic review

Impact of presumed consent for organ donation on donation rates: a systematic review

Article Type: Reviews of effectiveness From: Clinical Governance: An International Journal, Volume 14, Issue 3

A. Rithalia, C. McDaid, S. Suekarran, L. Myers and A. Sowden,British Medical Journal,2009,Vol. 338 No. a3162

This well-conducted review assessed the impact of presumed consent legislation on organ donation rates. The authors concluded that presumed consent alone is unlikely to explain the variations in donation rates; factors such as donor availability, transplant infrastructure and social, legal and economic variables appear to play a role but their relative importance is unclear. This conclusion is likely to be reliable.