The family of a heart donor wants to find the person who had heart transplant: What did Viet Duc University Hospital’s Director say?

06/04/2021 10:40

(NLĐO) – Regarding the family information of a heart donor thanks to the online community to find a heart transplant, Director of Viet Duc University Hospital said that according to regulations, we are not allowed to reveal the identity and address of recipient.

 

In recent days, on social media, information about a mother whose child was donated nearly 6 months ago (June 16 or 17, 2020) wants the community to share so that she can meet the recipient of her son’s heart. According to information posted on personal Facebook of Mrs. T.T.N. In Hai Duong, her son suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a road traffic accident. Her son has been tried to cure by doctors but has not survived.

 

Although she was deeply saddened by the death of her only son, Mrs. N. and her family agreed to donate a part of her son’s body to save people suffering from critical illnesses, end-stage organ failure. She also shared her wish to know the addresses of the recipients of her son’s body part.

 

According to information on personal page of Mrs. T.T.N. up to this point, except for her son’s heart transplant, she had all met other people who received her child’s organs. She wants everyone to connect so that she can find and meet her son’s heart transplant.

 

Previously, on September 16, 108 Military Central Hospital (Hanoi) performed a multi-tissue transplant from brain-dead donor to save the lives of 6 different patients, including: 2 lung transplant for a patient diagnosed with primary pulmonary fibrosis; liver transplant for a patient with acute liver failure against a background of cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus infection; 2 kidney transplant for 2 patients with end-stage chronic renal failure; Simultaneous transplantation of 2 forearms for 1 patient with amputation on both sides due to an explosion accident. These patients all received organ tissue transplantation at 108 Military Central Hospital. Additionally, hospital also cooperated with the National Coordinating Center to collect and transplant heart for 1 patient with end-stage dilated myocarditis at Viet Duc University Hospital.

 

 

Sharing with the reporter of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, Prof. Tran Binh Giang – MD, PhD, Director of Viet Duc University Hospital, said that he was aware of this information and suggested that the National Coordination Center contact the donor’s family to explain the policy for information provision between donor and organ transplant donor. The family of aforementioned brain-dead person agreed to donate many parts of his son to save people with critical diseases, not just heart.

 

“We understand very much with the wish of mother. However, according to the law, hospital and doctors are not allowed to provide information and addresses of donors and recipients to avoid uncommon circumstances. We very much appreciate the noble gesture of donor. Donating organs to others is a very humane gesture, so we will work with all the medical ethics of a doctor to continue the lives of patients”- Prof. Giang affirmed.

 

He said that around the world, information about donors and transplants are encrypted, not allowed to disclose to ensure the recipient’s normal life, especially during medical examination and treatment. Even asking the recipient to thank them is not allowed. For organ recipients, one has to be cured and live a normal life, not because of the organ receiving one must live in grace.

 

“So far, this is the first-time hospital has heard about donor’s family desires to find the recipient. We have never received an offer from a donor’s family wishing to meet the recipient so they can feel their loved one’s life in another person’s body. However, in this case, hospital also cannot provide information about the recipient to family. Most recently, even in gratitude to families with relatives who donated organs, many wives and mothers who died with brain-dead donation also only shared about their previous relatives and expressed their wish that the recipients would have a healthy life “- shared Prof. Giang.

 

Prof. Tran Binh Giang said that if a certain facility establishes a connection between the donor and the recipient in any form which not in accordance with the regulations, it is a violation of law. If the recipient earnestly meets the donor, he or she will find a way to meet the donor’s family, but if the recipient does not want to come and want to keep a private life, people have that right. Hospital cannot force people to be indebted and reach out to the donor. This may undermine the humanity of human organs donation.

 

Prof. Giang also said that according to regulations for organ donors after death, brain-dead donor, and body donation, after death, the donor’s body will be taken care of depending on donor’s wishes or the family of donor. According to regulations, the deceased organ donor will be supported by State burial fee equal to 10 months base salary. The donor will also be rewarded with a medal for the people’s health.

 

Also, according to Prof. Tran Binh Giang, up to this point, the person who received a heart transplant from a young brain-dead organ donor (the son of mother  that mentioned above) is still living healthy.

 

To date, organ transplant is one of the greatest medical achievements of mankind in the 20th century. Vietnam has had 19 organ transplant centers and has made great progress in both tissue and organ transplantation techniques. Vietnam is gradually mastering the techniques of tissue and organ transplantation, many of which are considered difficult in the field of organ transplantation. The success of organ transplantation opens up treatment possibilities for patients with end-stage impaired organs; bring hope and great opportunities to overcome serious diseases and improve the quality of life for patients.

 

How will information and secrets about donors and human tissue transplant recipients be handled?

 

Decree 176/2013 / ND-CP stipulates the sanctioning of administrative violations in health sector. Accordingly, the penalty for disclosing information and secrets about donors and transplant recipients of human tissues and organs, unless otherwise agreed by the parties or provided by other laws is one of the main contents and specified at Point b, Clause 1, Article 34 of Decree No. 176/2013 / ND-CP. As follows:

 

A fine ranging from VND 30,000,000 to VND 40,000,000 shall be imposed for disclosing information or secrets about donors and transplant recipients, unless otherwise agreed by the parties or provided by other laws.

 

This fine also applies to the following acts:

 

– Brokerage buying and selling human body parts;

 

– Carrying out non-regenerative body organ removal in living people without written opinion of the advisory council for human organ removal and transplantation.