A German study suggests that allowing organ donation after irreversible circulatory and respiratory failure could significantly boost the number of transplants and reduce wait times. Researchers from Kiel University and the Eurotransplant International Foundation released these findings on Friday, with the study, which utilizes European data, appearing in the German medical journal “Deutsches Ärzteblatt”. Currently, in Germany, organ donation is only permissible after irreversible brain death. However, many other countries have established the option of donation following circulatory arrest. Modeling calculations for 2023 indicate that adopting conditions similar to those in Switzerland could have enabled approximately 35% more liver transplants and 60% more kidney transplants. The study’s authors emphasize that the effectiveness of such a change is highly dependent on the specific organizational and legal frameworks in place. Their aim, according to the researchers, is to broaden the public discussion, which currently focuses primarily on adopting an opt-out system. They stress that the decision regarding the possibility of donation after circulatory arrest is fundamentally a matter of society and politics.
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