Can VAD patients donate their organs? It’s complicated
Dr Harley Powell estimates organ donation from VAD patients could save governments hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In several countries including Belgium and Canada, patients who end their lives through voluntary assisted dying are able to donate their organs.
In Australia, it is technically legal, but rarely happens.
Ballarat staff physician Associate Professor James Hurley is a registered voluntary assisted dying (VAD) practitioner, while retired renal physician Dr Harley Powell is an advocate for organ donation after VAD.
AusDoc spoke with the two doctors about the feasibility and logistics of organ donation following a VAD death.
