Relatives often overburdened with organ donation

Relatives often overwhelmed with decision on organ donation

30.01.2012

Every year, between 1,200 and 1,300 people in Germany donate one or more organs. After having risen slightly by 2010, it declined again last year. Since there is a basic willingness to donate among many citizens, but they still do not have an organ donor card, the German government agreed in November 2011 on a new regulation of organ donation. For every day people die because there are too few donor organs.

Relatives often reject organ donation in fear
When a loved one dies, attendants are often not emotionally able to make a decision about organ donation. However, in new out of ten deaths that would allow organ donation, relatives must make that decision without knowing what the dead man's attitude was. As a rule, the decision of relatives for fear of not doing something in the interests of the deceased, against organ donation. This is also confirmed by the figures of the German Foundation for Organ Donation (DSO). Less than seven percent had filed a written order last year, such as an organ donor card. At least 28 percent had announced an oral decision before their death.

However, in 42 percent of the cases, relatives had to make the decision without knowing exactly how the deceased relative was on the issue. With no clue as to whether the deceased would have opted for or against organ harvesting, relatives had to adjudicate in every fourth case. The DSO reports: „The rejection rate is highest with more than 40 percent, if the decision alone is at the discretion of the relatives.“ Unfortunately, every day people die whose lives could possibly be saved with an organ donation.

Reorganization of organ donation
Basically, everyone can decide for themselves whether their "organs are to be donated wholly or in part in case of death". There are, for example, organ donor passes. On 24 November last year, the Bundestag factions in the Bundestag agreed with the Federal Minister of Health on a compromise. This implies that every citizen should be asked regularly about his consent or refusal to donate organs after death. This could be done, for example, with the issue of health cards or other official documents. The details of the new regulation are still controversial.

A representative survey of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and Barmer GEK in April 2011 confirmed the willingness to donate in Germany. 1778 persons were interviewed for the evaluation in writing, among other things, about their organ donation readiness. 69 percent of the interviewees stated that it would be assumed that the new regulation of the parliamentary group on organ donation will increase the general willingness to donate. 66 percent of the respondents were very likely to actually consent to an organ donation. Even 60 percent of respondents who do not yet have an organ donor card would likely or certainly agree to donate organ donation. According to Dr. Christoph Straub, CEO of BARMER GEK, is now demanding that the German government conduct large-scale education campaigns. According to the DSO, around 12,000 people are currently waiting for a donor organ. (Ag)

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Picture: Günther Richter