Too few organ donations from young accident victims

Organ donations are not sufficient for young accident victims

16/05/2011

The parents of young accident victims are too rarely pointed to a possible organ donation, experts at the Federal Association of Children with Heart Disease (BVHK) criticized at a meeting on the occasion of the 18-year association on Saturday. All clinics should develop special transplantation officers and standardized processes in dealing with the potential organ donors, the BVHK demanded.

The insufficient education of the parents of young victims of a possible organ donation by the treating physicians is a „scandal“, said the managing director of the BVHK, Hermine Nock. According to the expert, doctors rarely speak with the parents of young accident victims about possible organ donation. In addition, some physicians seem to shy away from the effort that would be caused by the supply of brain dead to a possible transplantation date, explained the BVHK managing director.

Parents of young accident victims are informed about organ donation
According to the Association of Children with Heart Disease, the parents of young victims are rarely informed about the possibilities of organ donation. According to the experts, most of the attending physicians here are more than reluctant. The hesitation of the doctors for outsiders seems quite understandable, since the parents of the death of their child usually already hard hit parents, are certainly more concerned with other things than thinking about possible organ donation. But what seems irreverent at first glance can save the life of a child elsewhere. For example, the BVHK Managing Director considered the reluctance of the physicians to be a scandal and, on behalf of their association, demanded special transplantation officers for all clinics as well as standardized processes in dealing with the possible donors who ensure adequate care. For some physicians is already the effort too large, which requires the supply of the organ donor to the possible transplantation, said Hermione Nock. In addition, according to the BVHK, guidelines should also be developed for the sensitive conversation with the relatives, which will help doctors to get started in this difficult topic. (Fp)

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Picture: Günther Richter