Deceased Organ Donation rates vary dramatically across the countries of the world and also within some countries from region to region. This variability has been attributed, with little data to support the hypotheses to a variety of factors including differences in religious acceptance of the concepts of brain death and organ transplantation.

There have been few experiments that test the potential to increase organ donation and none that isolate individual actions designed to increase organ donation. There are however some particular national strategies that have been resourced and implemented in several countries that are providing some clarity on the actions that alter the rate of organ donation. There are also some specific examples of events that have destroyed the confidence of a particular community and reduced donation rates.

In this presentation the actions taken to increase organ donation in Australia will be presented together with the factors that have moved community attitudes to organ donation towards a better result for patients awaiting a transplant. As a result of the national government investment in Organ Donation the number of organ transplants has effectively doubled over a period of ten years.

The role of community religious and cultural leadership in the context of the multicultural society that makes up the major cities of the country will be discussed. The impact of professional education in intensive care units and the effect of data collection and analysis will also be identified. The conclusion that we have arrived at in Australia is that there is no one solution, the approval of the leadership of the religions that guide the community is important and necessary, but that it is not enough or sufficient in isolation to change the rate of organ donation.