Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment and Organ Donation After Circulatory Death: Consequences of Legislative Separation.

Summary: When a very sick patient is near the end of life, they might choose to stop treatments that keep them alive. Sometimes, they also want to donate their organs to help others after they pass away. Right now, the laws for stopping treatment and the laws for donating organs are separate. This creates confusing gaps. Because of these gaps, doctors sometimes can't follow the patient's final wishes, which can hurt everyone involved. The rules need to change so we can better honor what patients want.