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Anthony SJ, Lin J, Pol SJ, Wright L, Dhanani S. Family veto in organ donation: the experiences of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators in Ontario. Can J Anaesth 2021; 68:611-621. [PMID: 33575991 PMCID: PMC7878166 DOI: 10.1007/s12630-021-01928-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In Ontario, an individual's registered wish for organ donation is legally valid consent following death. Family veto occurs when the deceased donor's substitute decision-maker (SDM) overrides this consent to donate, evoking a legal and ethical conflict. The objective of this study was to examine the experiences of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators (OTDCs) working with SDMs who vetoed a deceased donor's consent for organ donation. METHODS Qualitative focus groups were conducted with ten OTDCs in Ontario, Canada who reported experience with family veto. An interpretative phenomenological approach informed data analysis. Themes emerged through team consensus and were further refined through collaborative and reflexive engagement. RESULTS Four themes emerged regarding family veto: 1) the significance of the OTDC role, 2) emotional distress and the "understandable" family veto, 3) barriers contributing to family veto, and 4) strategies towards a culture of organ donation. Findings highlighted the importance of patient advocacy in the OTDC role, while revealing the emotional distress of experiencing family veto. OTDCs identified timing and healthcare providers' perceived ambivalence toward organ donation as critical barriers to family authorization. Value-positive language, role reframing, and increased education were offered as strategies to address these barriers and reduce family veto. CONCLUSION This study highlights important considerations about organ donation authorization processes in Ontario. Findings support practice changes towards reducing family veto and further research nationally. Collaborations with key stakeholders are warranted to align healthcare practices, donation policies, and education initiatives towards a shared goal of increasing organ donation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Anthony
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Jia Lin
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah J Pol
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Linda Wright
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Surgery and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sonny Dhanani
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Chan WCH, Chan SO, Wong ALY, Ng PKL. Communication with family concerning body donation in Hong Kong: what do we know? HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2020; 28:1817-1826. [PMID: 32337803 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to examine three major issues: (a) The extent to which registered donors have communicated with family about body donation; (b) The differences in demographics, life and death attitudes, and quality of relationship with family members between those who communicated their body donation decision and those who did not; (c) The factors associated with the act of communicating with family about body donation. A survey was conducted of people who registered in a body donation programme in Hong Kong. A total of 1,070 registered donors completed an online questionnaire between August and September 2016. The majority of participants (80.1%) reported that they communicated with family members about body donation. About one-third only informed family members of their decisions after registration, and around 15.6% did not communicate with family members. Those who communicated with family were significantly older and married; they also indicated more positive life and death attitudes and a better quality of relationship with family members. Three factors were found to have significant associations with the act of communicating with family members about the decision to donate the body: (a) Age, (b) Quality of life, (c) Quality of relationship with family members. Communication with family members about body donation is still inadequate. Future body donation programmes may focus more on the way body donation decisions can be better communicated with family members. Special attention can be given to younger registered donors who find it difficult to communicate with the older generation, those who indicate more negative life and death attitudes, and who experienced a poorer quality of relationship with family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace Chi Ho Chan
- Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Sun On Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | | | - Pasu Kwai Lun Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Anthony SJ, Toews M, Caulfield T, Wright L. Family veto in organ donation in Canada: framing within English-language newspaper articles. CMAJ Open 2017; 5:E768-E772. [PMID: 29051158 PMCID: PMC5741414 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20170051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because organ transplantation relies on public support for donation, an analysis of public discourse around organ donation is essential. We investigated the portrayal of family veto - when a family overrides the deceased person's prior legally executed wishes to donate - in Canadian news media. METHODS Using the Canadian Newsstream database, we identified articles published in English-language newspapers addressing family veto between 2000 and 2016. Guided by the theoretical perspectives of framing of media effects, we conducted a systematic content analysis of the articles to examine how the Canadian media framed family veto. An initial in-depth analysis of the data set in which themes and patterns were captured and recorded identified coding categories, including primary framing of family veto, prevalence, reasons, ethical or legal concerns and overall tone of the article. Two coders analyzed the data set to ensure intercoder reliability. RESULTS A total of 133 relevant articles were identified. Family veto was framed predominantly as something that should not be allowed (81 articles [60.9%]) and as a reality that is little understood outside the transplantation community (45 [33.8%]). One-quarter of the articles (32 [24.1%]) highlighted ethical principles of autonomy and justice associated with family veto. Family veto was represented as a stumbling block in the present organ donation system, with most publications (107 [80.4%]) calling for change. There were differing interpretations of organ donation legislation, with 82 articles (61.6%) erroneously stating or suggesting that existing legislation permits family veto. INTERPRETATION Family veto in organ donation was portrayed predominantly negatively. Many publications reflected a misunderstanding of the law concerning this issue. Although the framing of family veto highlighted important ethical and legal concerns as well as practice and policy considerations, research is needed to enhance the understanding of family veto in organ donation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Anthony
- Affiliations: Canadian National Transplant Research Program (Anthony, Toews, Caulfield, Wright); The Hospital for Sick Children (Anthony), Toronto, Ont.; Adelaide Law School (Toews), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Health Law Institute (Caulfield), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Department of Surgery (Wright), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Maeghan Toews
- Affiliations: Canadian National Transplant Research Program (Anthony, Toews, Caulfield, Wright); The Hospital for Sick Children (Anthony), Toronto, Ont.; Adelaide Law School (Toews), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Health Law Institute (Caulfield), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Department of Surgery (Wright), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Timothy Caulfield
- Affiliations: Canadian National Transplant Research Program (Anthony, Toews, Caulfield, Wright); The Hospital for Sick Children (Anthony), Toronto, Ont.; Adelaide Law School (Toews), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Health Law Institute (Caulfield), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Department of Surgery (Wright), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
| | - Linda Wright
- Affiliations: Canadian National Transplant Research Program (Anthony, Toews, Caulfield, Wright); The Hospital for Sick Children (Anthony), Toronto, Ont.; Adelaide Law School (Toews), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Health Law Institute (Caulfield), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Department of Surgery (Wright), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
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Toews M, Caulfield T. Evaluating the "family veto" of consent for organ donation. CMAJ 2016; 188:E436-E437. [PMID: 27920112 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.160752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maeghan Toews
- Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law (Toews, Caulfield), and School of Public Health (Caulfield), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta
| | - Timothy Caulfield
- Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law (Toews, Caulfield), and School of Public Health (Caulfield), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.
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Chon WJ, Josephson MA, Gordon EJ, Becker YT, Witkowski P, Arwindekar DJ, Naik A, Thistlethwaite JR, Liao C, Ross LF. When the living and the deceased cannot agree on organ donation: a survey of US organ procurement organizations (OPOs). Am J Transplant 2014; 14:172-7. [PMID: 24369025 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.12519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The legal concept of first person authorization (FPA) is based on the principle that a decision by a person with decision-making capacity should be respected even after he or she dies. Although the transplant community largely supports this concept, its implementation has not been universal. We conducted a web-based survey of all 58 Organ Procurement Organization (OPO)executive directors in the United States to assess OPOs' procurement policies and practices in the context of family objections. All 58 respondents(100%) responded to our survey. All OPOs except one have an online donor registration website. Most OPOs(89%) (51 of 57 respondents) estimated that the frequency of family objecting to organ donation in cases of registered donors was <10%. No OPOs reported the frequency to be higher than 25%. Only 50% (27 of 54) of the OPOs have a written policy on handling family objections. Approximately 80% of the OPOs reported honoring FPA. However, in the past 5 years, 20 OPOs (35%) have not yet participated in organ procurement from a registered deceased donor over family objection. Further research to identify the barriers and possible solutions to implementing FPA is warranted.
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