Canadian Society of Transplantation Members' Views on Anonymity in Organ Donation and Transplantation

• Explores opinions about communication between organ recipients and donor families.
• Explores opinions about organ recipients and donor families meeting in person.
• Transplant professionals have conflicted feelings regarding anonymity practices.
• Need to better address the impact of anonymity in organ donation/transplantation.
• Need to revisit anonymity policies in transplantation in face of social media.

BackgroundAnonymity has been central to medical, psychosocial, and societal practices in organ donation and transplantation. The purpose of this investigation was to explore transplant professionals' views on anonymity in the context of organ transplantation.MethodsThe study consisted of an electronic 18-item survey distributed to the Canadian Society of Transplantation membership, asking about anonymity vs open communication/contact between organ recipients and donor families.ResultsOf the 541 members surveyed, 106 replied. Among respondents, 71% felt that organ recipients and donor families should only communicate anonymously, yet 47% felt that identifying information could be included in correspondence between consenting recipients and donor families. When asked whether organ recipients and donor families should be allowed to meet, 53% of respondents agreed, 27% disagreed, and 20% neither agreed nor disagreed. With social media facilitating communication and eliminating the ability to maintain donor/recipient anonymity, 38% of respondents felt that a reexamination of current policies and practices pertaining to anonymity was necessary.ConclusionIn conclusion, there was no dominant position on the issue of anonymity/communication between donor families and transplant recipients. Further research and discussion concerning the views of healthcare professionals, organ recipients, and donor families on the mandate of anonymity is needed and may influence future policy.