Organ donation rates held back by families refusing consent, study finds

Study at a NSW hospital reveals doctors are skilled at identifying patients suitable for organ donation, but next-of-kin consent remains a key stumbling block

Family members refusing to consent to the organs of their loved ones being donated after they die are keeping organ donation rates in Australia low, new research has found.

While doctors were good at identifying which patients may be suitable for organ donation, low next-of-kin consent rates meant the donor rate was substantially less than the best performing countries, the study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday, found.

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