Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Misperceptions' keep some from agreeing to donate organs after death

Misperceptions' keep some from agreeing to donate organs after death
Last Updated: 2018-01-22
By Carolyn Crist

(Reuters Health) - Although most Americans say they're willing to be an organ donor after they die, some people never sign up because they're unsure about what could happen to them in a medical emergency, according to a new study.

In particular, survey respondents reported concerns about receiving adequate medical care if they registered to donate organs after they died.

The medical community "(needs) to address these misperceptions," said lead study author Dr. Marty Sellers, a transplant surgeon at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, in a phone interview.

In 2017, more than 10,000 deceased donors contributed to nearly 29,000 transplants in the U.S., according to the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Living donors contributed organs for an additional 6,000 transplants.

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