Skip to main content
Figure 1 | Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine

Figure 1

From: The United States Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (2006): New challenges to balancing patient rights and physician responsibilities

Figure 1

The revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) 2006, advance health care directives (AD) and use of life support systems at the end-of-life. The UAGA (2006) Section 14(c) defaults a patient already on life support systems to the presumption of intent for organ donation (i.e. potential donor) and mandatory notification of organ procurement organization for evaluation. Life support systems cannot be withdrawn in a potential donor until organ procurement organization has completed the evaluation of medical suitability of organs for transplantation. If the organ procurement organization has determined that a potential donor has organs medically suitable for transplantation, the potential donor becomes a prospective donor. For a prospective donor, life support systems cannot be withheld or withdrawn. For a prospective donor, section 21(b) requires the attending physician to resolve the conflict between intent in advance health care directives to withhold and/or withdraw life support systems at the end-of-life verus their use for organ donation purpose. Section 9(a) expands the list of persons who can consult, on behalf of a prospective donor, with the attending physician to resolve the aforementioned conflict and provide donation consent (or refusal). Document of gift or donation consent permits the use of life support systems and organ procurement protocols on donors. If a potential donor has medically unsuitable organs, refusal of gift or contrary intent declaration to instruct the withholding and/or withdrawing of life support systems for organ donation purpose, life support systems can be withdrawn and end-of-life care is provided as expressed in advance health care directives.

Back to article page