Differences in attitude toward living and postmortal liver donation in the United States, Germany, and Japan

Living liver donation is a possible immediate option for decreasing the shortage of liver allografts worldwide. Risks related to the donation make this procedure ethically controversial. Study groups of medical students (N=330) from three different nations were analyzed with a complex questionnaire, and data were subjected to multiparameter analysis. The readiness for living liver donation was dependent upon the cultural background of the study groups. It was higher in the U.S. than in Germany and Japan, with a higher donation readiness for children as recipients than adults. Major differences among distinct sociodemographic groups need to be carefully addressed when setting up consensus guidelines for the clinical practice of living donation.