Pursuant to the applicable act on the protection of personal data, data for transplantation of patients and interested persons are collected and processed only after obtaining the prior consent of the potential donor. These data are stored with maximum security measures. Data processing is only possible if it is necessary for the implementation of the transplant.
Personal data of a potential donor and recipient of a transplanted organ are confidential and protected under the provisions on professional and professional secrecy of doctors and nurses and in the provisions on medical records kept by he althcare entities.
These data are stored with maximum security measures. Usually, such means are armored cabinets or computer security with a password, blocked automatically after the competent person leaves the computer.
What data is collected during the transplant?
Monitoring and he alth evaluation of living donors from whom an organ for transplantation has been collected is carried out through a central registry of living donors, known as the "living donor registry". In this register, competent persons keeping medical records enter the following data:
1) living donor name and surname; 2) the living donor's date and place of birth; 3) the address of the living donor's place of residence; 4) PESEL number of a living donor, if any; 5) date and place of organ procurement; 6) the organ that has been removed; 7) name and address of the medical entity where the organ was harvested; 8) name and surname of the doctor who performed the collection; 9) other medical information of significant importance, i.e. information without which the entire transplantation process may be doomed to failure.
Bone marrow and hematopoietic cells transplant - separate donor register
It is worth knowing that in order to transplant bone marrow, peripheral blood and cord blood hematopoietic cells from unrelated donors, a central registry of unrelated potential donors of cord marrow and cord blood is established, called the "cord marrow and cord blood registry". The cord marrow and blood registry is a database of potential donors of allogeneic bone marrow and cellshematopoietic peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood. It consists of two parts:
1) registry of potential donors of bone marrow and peripheral blood cells; 2) cord blood registry. The register contains the following data of a potential donor of bone marrow and peripheral blood hematopoietic cells: 1) name and surname; 2) date and place of birth; 3) address of the place of residence; 4) social security number, if any; 5) information on histocompatibility antigens; 6) indication of the entity that carried out the histocompatibility antigens test; 7) other significant medical information.
When is it possible to process donor and recipient data?
Everyone has the right to the protection of their personal data. The processing of personal data may take place for the public good, the interest of the data subject or the interest of third parties.Data processing is permitted when it is necessary for the implementation of the transplant.Medical personnel have the right to exchange information about the he alth status of both the donor and the recipient. These are special circumstances where the exchange of data must take place for the good of the graft. It is worth emphasizing that the protection of personal data of donors and recipients in the transplant procedure is not clearly defined. The reality is always more complex than legal regulations, which carry the standard of general conduct in which the welfare of the donor and recipient is at stake.
What donor and recipient data may not be processed?
Pursuant to the provisions of the law (the Personal Data Protection Act), it is prohibited to process data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, religious, party or trade union affiliation, as well as data on he alth, genetic code , addictions or sex life, and data on convictions, sentences and fines, as well as other judgments made in court or administrative proceedings.
Conclusion
According to the regulations, it is impossible to obtain information about the recipient or recipients of organs for transplantation. However, in the case of the possibility of obtaining information on organ donation, the situation is different. Although, in the absence of the patient's objections, the doctor carrying out the organ removal from the deceased is not obliged to ask the family for consent, nevertheless, for ethical reasons, the family (e.g. parents or spouse) is informed about such action.
Legal basis: Act on the protection of personal data (Journal of Laws of 2002 No. 101 item 926 as amended) Act on the collection, storage and transplantation of cells, tissues, organs (Journal Of Laws of 2005, No. 169, item 14 11)