WASHINGTON — A change to a long-standing rule meant to protect potential organ donors takes effect Nov. 18, and it has split doctors and ethicists, NPR reported.
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network’s board voted Aug. 20 to relax a firewall between hospital teams caring for patients and the organ procurement teams waiting to recover organs. Under the old rule, the procurement team generally could not talk to families until after they decided to withdraw life support.
The new policy for donation after circulatory death, which now makes up about half of donations, allows donation discussions once end-of-life discussions are happening with the patient’s representative.
Dr. Raymond Lynch, transplantation director at the Health Resources & Services Administration, told NPR the change is part of a package that improves coordination and makes it easier to pause organ recovery if anyone has concerns. The policy is meant to prevent past errors, including cases where patients were taken to operating rooms while still alive.
Critics say it could pressure grieving families. “It’s a very important bright line,” University of Rochester bioethicist Dr. Lainie Ross told NPR.
More than 109,000 Americans are waiting for an organ transplant, and about 12 die each day because of the shortage, according to HRSA.
Sources: NPR. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
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