title: Legal and ethical implications of NICE guidance aimed at optimising organ transplantation after circulatory death.
abstract: Increasing the number of organ transplants is a priority for most governments. While potential new legislation for donor registration, such as the Welsh Government white paper on establishing an opt-out system for Welsh residents, is the focus of most ethical and legal scrutiny, there are also other approaches to increase the number of patients receiving organ transplants. The then National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance on this issue in 2011, but subsequent debate in this journal has suggested that the guidance was presumptuous and might encourage unethical practice. This paper addresses these concerns and concludes that the NICE guidance provides a legal, ethical and clinically relevant way forward in a complex and developing public health issue.
authors.affiliation: The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, London, UK. Samuel.Littlejohns.1@city.ac.uk
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Littlejohns
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bontoft
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Littlejohns
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D003645:Death, Sudden; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Mental Capacity Act 2005; Mental Health Act 2005; NICE; Organ donation; best interests; consent; decision-making; ethics; family; guidance; law
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