Pediatric Organ Donation and Transplantation: policy statement: organizational principles to guide and define the child health care system and/or improve the health of all children: Committee on Hospital Care and Section on Surgery. American Academy of Pediatrics.

Pediatric organ donation and organ transplantation can have a significant life-extending benefit to the young recipients of these organs and a high emotional impact on donor and recipient families. Pediatricians should become better acquainted with evolving national strategies involving organ procurement and organ transplantation to help acquaint families with the benefits of organ donation and to help shape public policies that will aid in efforts to provide a system of procurement, distribution, and finance that is fair and equitable to children and adults. Major issues of concern are availability and access; oversight and control; pediatric medical and surgical consultation throughout the organ donation and transplantation process; ethical, social, financial, and follow-up issues; insurance coverage issues; and public awareness of the need for organ donors of all ages.