• Technology

• Health

• Environment

• Project Co-ordinator: Dr. phil. Margret Engelhard, Dipl.-Biol.

• Download of a summary of the Study:
  Download (PDF)

• Memorandum: F. Breyer et al.: Organmangel. Ist der Tod auf der Warteliste unvermeidbar? Springer-Verlag, 2006

• Documentation: Graue Reihe 39: M. Engelhard, F. Breyer (Hrsg.): Anreize zur Organspende, 11/2006

• Duration: 7/03–6/06

• Funding: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

• Further Information “Organ Donation”

The scarcity of donated organs is an issue of heightened social relevance. Since each year in Germany some 1,000 patients die while waiting for an organ and another 12,000 patients on the waiting list suffer severely, society must not ignore the scarcity of organs; rather, it has to consistently seek solutions and discuss – without any taboo – diverse approaches to tackle this problem. 
This study is the result of an interdisciplinary research project. It examines diverse causes of the scarcity of organs and explores ways to alleviate this problem. It therefore addresses scientists, affected persons, health professionals, policy-makers and the interested public. At first the analysis focuses on cadaveric organ donation. The main factors that could lead to increased organ donation rates are the participation of hospitals in the procurement of cadaveric organs, the coordination of the organ donation process and the permission of the donor or relatives for organ removal. The study pinpoints strategies to positively influence these factors. These strategies range from the removal of financial obstacles for reporting hospitals to an abolishment of the monopoly of the coordinating institution and to an introduction of the opting-out (“presumed consent”) system. For the specific scarcity of kidneys and livers even controversially discussed approaches to expand live organ donation are taken into account.

Organ Donation