Foundations for Consensus on Establishing a Unified Definition of Death

This recent article in Transplant International is encouraging. Delphi methodology was used to explore international perspectives on the definition of death, and clinical and ethical standards for determination of death in the setting of cDCDD. 

The results indicated consensus that establishing a “single unified definition of death worldwide” and specifically the “unifying brain-based concept of death” would be beneficial. There was consensus on the proposed definition of this concept and several principles relating to the determination of death in the context of cDCDD, such as the “dead donor rule.”  

In short, the results provide a foundation for current policy and practice and should guide further efforts to establish minimum clinical standards for the determination of death in the context of cDCDD.