The objective of the present article is to show the knowledge and attitude of the health personnel towards organ donation and transplantation. During different education activities, performed by the medical team of the Center of Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Costa Rican Social Security Institution, a self administered, voluntary and anonimous questionnaire, which captured epidemiologic, administrative and legal aspects related to the organ donation process, was given out to fill. 55.4% (n=51) of the participants considered that organ transplantation was a rare procedure performed in our country. Even, 4.3% (n=4) considered it to be in an experimental phase. When asked if they knew the Law 7409 regarding "Authorization for Organ and Human Anatomic Material Transplantation", only 21.7% (n=20) answered positively. About the brain death criteria established by the latter law, only 21.7% (n=20) are completely familiar with them. When asked who should be the health professional responsible of the organ solicitation to the family, 44.6% (n=41) answered that it should be the medical staff taking care of the patient at the moment of his death. 94.6% (n=84) of the people interviewed indicated that they would be willing to be an organ donor, and 85.5% (n=81) would be willing to participate in the process of organ procurement when needed. This study regretfully showed that the knowledge of the health personnel regarding this subject is poor and inadequate. This could lead to a low collaboration in the process, and also in a late identification of the possible organ donors.

Organ donation; transplantation; Costa Rica