Dr. Colman O'Loughlin:

It is comforting to us, as the intensivists who interact with the families, that there is legal protection. It would never be the case that we would do it anyway. The donor card has always been a guide, an important guide. Most families would be aware that the person carried an organ donor card, and by and large they would be supportive if they were aware. There are occasions when the patient has had a donor card and the family has not agreed and we go with the family on every single occasion. It has never happened in Europe but there was a case in Singapore where there was a physical fight in the intensive care unit on this issue and I do not want to get into that in any shape or form in my practice, but it can happen.