Attitudes towards organ donation and transplantation - a study involving Baltic physicians

The aim of this study was to identify and describe attitudes towards organ donation and transplantation among a group of Baltic physicians who are inv olved in this aspect of medical care. A total of 151 neurosurgeons, anesthe siologists, and neurologists anonymously answered a questionnaire between F ebruary and March 1995. The majority of physicians said they would be willi ng to donate their own organs after their death but disagreed with the idea of using organs from a dead person who had had a negative opinion towards organ donation. Given a patient who fulfilled the criteria for brain death, this group of physicians found it widely acceptable to keep the patient on a ventilator until organ donation could take place. We conclude that the p articipating physicians generally have similar attitudes towards organ dona tion and transplantation. This study is valuable in that it shows the inter est in, and the need for, clinical and research collaboration, including a discussion of ethics, within the area of organ donation and transplantation . This is essential for future collaboration with Western countries.