Ethical Issues in Uncontrolled Donation After Circulatory Determination of Death: A Scoping Review to Reveal Areas of Broad Consensus, and Those for Future Research.

ABSTRACT: Uncontrolled donation after circulatory determination of death (uDCD) protocols are established in several countries with good outcomes. We reviewed the literature between 1997 and 2024 to identify ethical issues. 33 papers were identified. Several areas of continued ethical debate were delineated: the role of advanced life support techniques; the ethical acceptability of aortic occlusion balloons; the nature and timing of consent to organ preserving techniques; whether best interests can/should extend beyond individual bodily integrity in this context. Further empirical research and ethical analyses are needed in these domains. Broad consensus was identified on several issues including: decisions about termination of resuscitation and entry into a uDCD protocol should be made by different

SUBMITTER: Georgiou A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11840875 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature