Clinical Transplantation
Volume 23, Issue 6, 2009, Pages 831-838

Transplant tourism to China: The impact on domestic patient-care decisions (Article)

Biggins S.W.* , Bambha K. , Terrault N. , Inadomi J. , Roberts J.P. , Bass N.
  • a Gastroenterology Heath Outcomes Policy and Economics Research Program, United States, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • b Gastroenterology Heath Outcomes Policy and Economics Research Program, United States, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • c Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • d Gastroenterology Heath Outcomes Policy and Economics Research Program, United States, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • e Division of Transplantation, United States
  • f Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States

Abstract

Organ procurement in China has been criticized because of its reliance on executed prisoners as donors. We aimed to assess the influence of perceptions about organ procurement practices in China on domestic patient-care decisions. Methods: An anonymous internet administered case-based questionnaire was used to survey a sample of healthcare professionals with affiliations to hepatology and transplantation professional societies. Results: Of 674 completed surveys, the vast majority (93%) of the respondents were physicians, surgeons or allied transplant professionals actively caring for liver transplant patients and 81% practiced in the US. A strong majority believed procurement practices were ethically sound in the US and Europe (87% and 73%) but fare fewer believed that procurement practices were ethically sound in China (4%, p < 0.001). In case-based questions, lack of confidence in the ethical standards of organ procurement in China predicted patient-care decisions. The majority would provide post-transplantation care for patients who underwent liver transplantation at another domestic center, in a foreign country and in China (90%, 78%, and 63%, respectively, p < 0.001) yet respondents who suspected unethical procurement practices in China were more reluctant to do so (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Transplant professionals expressed concern about organ procurement practices in China which influenced their patient-care decision-making. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Author Keywords

medical ethics Transplant tourism Medical decision-making Internet survey Liver transplantation health policy

Index Keywords

patient care China Tissue Donors donor tourism Europe health care personnel Postoperative Care liver cirrhosis Population Surveillance human ethics middle aged statistics and numerical data Ethics, Medical medical ethics controlled study priority journal Clinical Competence medical practice Patient Education as Topic Tissue and Organ Procurement health personnel attitude Attitude of Health Personnel United States transplantation predictor variable Humans psychology male female liver transplantation supply and distribution self concept patient education Article physician surgical patient medical tourism surgeon medical decision making health center decision making Health Services Accessibility health care delivery health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-71149093491&doi=10.1111%2fj.1399-0012.2008.00949.x&partnerID=40&md5=cffb078df58336fbb978f56b67b0ad03
DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2008.00949.x
ISSN: 09020063
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English