Matthew Weiss, Canada has been granted the TTS Scientific Congress Award
Matthew Weiss is a pediatric intensivist working in Quebec City at the CHU de Québec and an assistant professor at the Université Laval. He has multiple provincial and national donation roles, including medical director of donation at Transplant Québec. His research interests focus on the implementation of legislative and policy reform in organ donation. He is the national lead of the LEADDR research program on implementation of reforms in Nova Scotia and has participated in the development of several best practice guidelines. His peer reviewed publications touch on diverse aspects of adult and pediatric donation and he has presented on these topics in local, national, and international scientific conferences.
Organ donation following medical assistance in dying: A Canadian environmental scan
Amina Silva1,3, Vanessa Silva e Silva1, Fiona Slater2, Matthew Weiss2, Sonny Dhanani3, Kim Wiebe2, Afsana Lallani2.
1Nursing Department, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada; 2Organ and Tissue Donation, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 3PICU, CHEO-RI, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Background: Organ donation following MAiD presents intricate moral and ethical considerations, touching on societal norms, individual autonomy, and donation related experiences for all those involved. While this practice offers potential relief for organ shortages, its novelty demands tailored regulations and guidelines to ensure safety and ethical practice. As Canada leads in this domain, this environmental scan is an initiative from Canadian Blood Services aimed to elucidate the various elements of organ donation processes following MAiD in Canada.
Methods: Multi-phased research approach where phase 1 involves updating a scoping review previously conducted by our research team on organ donation practices following MAiD worldwide. Phase 2 will employ a cross-sectional survey to gather insights from Organ Donation Organizations (ODOs) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) regarding current practices and challenges across Canada. Phase 3 will use a qualitative approach to interview Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators (OTDCs) and MAiD providers to delve deeper into procedural details and experiences in Canada. Phase 4 will entail a retrospective data review to analyze organ donation statistics of MAiD patients across Canadian ODOs.
Ethics: Research approval is being obtained at Brock University and all phases adhere to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2), including obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality.
Implications and Dissemination: This environmental scan is currently being developed, and our findings will help inform policy change, clinical practice, and educational initiatives surrounding organ donation following MAiD across Canada. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and engagement with relevant stakeholders.
This work is funded by Canadian Blood Services.
[1] Euthanasia
[2] Organ Donation