To the Editor: An important factor in the well documented shortfall of organs and eyes for transplantation is the apparent reluctance of people to agree to donate.1 One nearly universal strategy in attempting to raise donation rates has been to encourage individuals to register their wishes about donation. Although evidence that this strategy increases donation rates is lacking, there is some evidence that more individuals make and communicate a decision with appropriate education.2
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- Save Sight Institute, Sydney, NSW.
- 1. Siminoff LA, Gordon N, Hewlett J, et al. Factors influencing families’ consent for donation of solid organs for transplantation. JAMA 2001; 286: 71-77.
- 2. Sanner MA, Hedman H, Tufveson G. Evaluation of an organ-donor-card campaign in Sweden. Clin Transplant 1995; 9: 326-333.
- 3. Siminoff LA, Lawrence RH. Knowing patients’ preferences about organ donation: does it make a difference? J Trauma 2002; 53: 754-760.
- 4. Medicare Australia. Australian organ donor register. http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/yourhealth/our_services/aaodr.htm (accessed Dec 2006).
- 5. New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority. Registration and licensing statistics. http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/publicationsstatisticsforms/downloads/statiregis_dl6.html?plid=33 (accessed Dec 2006).