[The procurement of organs of children. General aspects]

Improved results of organs transplantation have resulted in an increased request for organs. All brain-dead children do not undergo organ harvesting for 3 main reasons. First, the definition of brain death, which should remain strict, is not accepted by everyone, in spite of the laws on this topics. Then, organizing organs harvesting requires specific hospital structures, a co-ordinator and motivated medical staff. Finally, parent's authorization is mandatory before organs harvesting in children. Parents still often refuse. An improvement might be reached by informing the general public, a maintained trust in the medical profession and the quality of the talk with the parents when the child dies. All energies should tend to develop the collective consciousness in order to improve this new aspect of medicine.