[Living donors for transplantation and bioethics laws. Survey with French transplantation professionals].
OBJECTIVE
Renewed interest in living donor transplantation in France led us to survey French transplanters to determine their opinion concerning this technique and the ethical issues involved. Their concerns and suggestions about current legislation were examined.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire was sent to physicians working in the different kidney, liver and lung transplantation units operating in France.


RESULTS
French transplanters expressed a wide range of opinions concerning living donor transplantation and possible broadening of the current regulations. Sixty-two percent of the transplanters had a positive opinion on living donor transplantation compared with 22% who expressed a negative opinion. For 23% of the transplanters, it is preferable to transplant with a living donor graft compared with 64% who preferred cadaveric grafts. A living donor transplantation program is under study in 65% of the units. There is some debate concerning the legitimate nature of the emergency donation situation for spouses. About one-half of the transplanters were in favor of controlled extension of potential donors to second degree relatives and to the recipient's spouse or living partner.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no real consensus among French transplanters concerning living donor transplantation due to the complexity of the ethical issues involved. Their opinions reflect medical tradition with background marked by autonomy and paternalism. This leads to a wide range of opinions concerning current bioethics legislation and the usefulness of more flexible laws.
Gabolde
M
M
Laboratoire d'Ethique médicale, de Droit de la santé et de Santé publique, Faculté de Médecine Necker, Université Paris V, 156 rue de Vauglrard, F75730 Paris. martine.gabolde@bct.ap-hop-paris.fr
Hervé
C
C
Moulin
A M
AM
D001675:Bioethics; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D019520:Living Donors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires