Doctors call for better organ donation awareness - Taipei Times

• By Yang Hsin-hui and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan has some of Asia's most advanced organ transplant capabilities, but family opposition and misconceptions about organ donation continue to leave thousands of people waiting for organs each year, doctors said on Friday.

Ko Hung-yen (柯宏彥), head of the Tri-Service General Hospital's Division of Transplantation, said Taiwan's transplant programs achieve heart, liver and kidney transplant survival rates comparable to those of leading international centers.

In some areas, Taiwan is leading the Asia region, he said.

Photo courtesy of Taiwan Medical Alliance for Labor Justice

The main problem for Taiwan is organ donor sources, with many people being forced to seek transplants abroad, Ko said, adding that the concept of organ donation should be better promoted to the public.

About 13,000 people are on wait lists for organ transplants each year, but only about 1,000 organ donors become available, said Lin Yi-chang (林宜彰) a doctor in Tri-Service General Hospital's Division of Cardiovascular Surgical Department Critical Care Center, citing the example of cardiovascular transplants in which only 70 cases are completed per year.

Despite mature organ transplant technology and capabilities, Taiwan faces a severe shortage of donor organs, due primarily to family opposition and misunderstanding about organ donation by the public, Lin added.

In some instances, a signed agreement by the donor to donate organs after their passing could not be realized due to the opposition of family members, Lin said, adding that only about one-quarter of all signed agreements are processed.

In many instances, the direct family of the deceased often agrees to honor their wishes, but under current law, if one family member strongly opposes the issue, the organ donation process is usually aborted, Lin said.

If would-be donors talked with their family members about their intent to donate their organs regularly, it might reduce disapproval when the time comes, Linkou Changhung Memorial Hospital organ procurement coordinator Chiu Chin-fang (邱琴芳) said.

Doctors are not asking for more people to agree to organ donation, but rather promote the concept and make people aware that it is an option, Chiu said.

Organ donation can help recipients find a new beginning as well as help the donor's family find closure by witnessing how their loved one has continued to help people even after their passing, Chiu added.