What is the Supreme Court's directive on brain death in India?

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to consider amending rules to include brain stem death certification, aiming for a national organ donation policy.

Why are Indian doctors hesitant about brain death certification?

Doctors often lack familiarity and confidence due to inadequate training, leading to a perception that it's solely for organ donation facilitation.

What did Kerala do regarding brain death and organ donation?

Kerala delinked brain death certification from organ donation in 2020, stipulating that life support ceases post-certification, with donation counseling following.

Home / Health / India's Brain Death Rule: A New Era for Organ Donation?

India's Brain Death Rule: A New Era for Organ Donation?

13 Dec

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Summary

Supreme Court directs national organ donation policy framework.
Form 4 and 4A may be amended for brain stem death reporting.
Doctors lack familiarity and confidence in brain death certification.

India's Brain Death Rule: A New Era for Organ Donation?

The Supreme Court of India has directed the central government to consider amending registration rules to include brain stem death certification, paving the way for a national organ donation policy. This move seeks to establish brain death as a standard definition of death, integrating organ donation into routine hospital procedures rather than solely a transplant-driven activity. Despite Kerala's earlier efforts to delink brain death certification from organ donation, medical professionals express a significant knowledge gap and hesitation.

Historically, brain death in India has been primarily defined in the context of organ donation, leading to ethical dilemmas for clinicians. Kerala's 2020 initiative aimed to clarify that all treatment, including life support, should cease after brain death certification, with organ donation counseling following. However, this has not significantly increased proactive certification by doctors over the past five years.