Organ donation by children in Australia, 2000–2019: impact of the 2009 National Reform Program. A population‐based registry data study

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the impact of the 2009 National Reform Program for organ donation in Australia on the number and characteristics of organ donors under 16 years of age. Design, setting, participants: Retrospective observational time series study; analysis of Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation (ANZOD) registry data for all consented potential deceased organ donors under 16 years of age during 2000-2019, and of numbers of donors aged 16 years or more reported in ANZOD annual reports. Main outcome measures: Difference between 2000-2008 (prereform) and 2009-2019 (reform period) in annual organ donor rates (donors per million population), by age group (under 16 years, 16 years or more), reported as incidence rate ratio (IRR). Secondary outcomes: Differences in child donor characteristics during 2000-2008 and 2009-2019. Results: During 2000-2019, 400 children under 16 years of age were consented potential deceased organ donors, of whom 374 were actual deceased donors (94%): 146 during 2000-2008, 228 during 2009-2019. The median annual rate was 3.3 (interquartile range [IQR], 3.0-4.3) actual donors per million population during 2000-2008 and 4.2 (IQR, 3.6-5.2) donors per million population during 2009-2019 (IRR, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-1.42).In contrast, the difference between the two periods was statistically significant for donors aged 16 years or more, rising from 11.7 (IQR, 11.2-11.8) to 19.9 (IQR,) actual donors per million population (