title: To achieve national self-sufficiency: recent progresses in deceased donation in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The disparity between patients awaiting transplantation and available organs has widened, and resultant organ shortage became a world crisis. The transplantation community has made considerable progress in national organ donation system in Korea, and significant growth in the number of deceased donors has been witnessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  After introduction of the Organ Transplant Act, which was enacted in 2000, transparency was established in organ allocation system in Korea. However, the number of deceased donor dwindled significantly from 162 in 1999 to 36 in 2002. To improve deceased donation, several strategies were pursued, and finally new national organ donation system was established through the amendment of the Organ Transplant Act.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Organ incentive system, which was introduced in 2003, failed to increase the number of deceased donors (68 in 2003, 86 in 2004, and 91 in 2005). Monetary incentive to the bereaved family was introduced in 2006 and slightly increased the number of deceased donor (141 in 2006). However, this effect was not long-lasting (148 in 2007). After enforcement of the new Organ Transplant Act, which included nationwide independent organ procurement organization and mandatory report of potential brain death, the number of deceased donors significantly increased, reaching 368 in 2011. The growth continued and the number of deceased donors reached 409 (8.03 pmp) in 2012.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been a significant growth in the number of deceased donors in Korea since the appropriate deceased organ donation system was launched. A comprehensive national program is required to improve deceased donation and achieve self-sufficiency.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 2 Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 3 Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 4 Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 5 Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. 6 Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 7 Department of Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 8 Department of Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea. 9 Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. 10 Korea Organ Donation Agency, Seoul, Korea. 11 Department of Surgery, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Curie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Duck Jong
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Soon Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Suk Koo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Oh Jung
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hong Rae
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Myoung Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chul Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jongwon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Won Hyun
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D015438:Health Behavior; D018166:Health Care Reform; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011050:Policy Making; D012042:Registries; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014850:Waiting Lists