https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/33334 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:14:21 GMT 2026-04-09T14:14:21Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4467 Title: Organ donation in Malta : what’s new? Authors: Ellul, Bridget Abstract: Malta transposed Directive 2010/45/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 on standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation (European Parliament and Council, 2010) on 12th October 2012 through Legal Notice 345 of 2012, entitled Organ Transplants (Quality and Safety) Regulations, 2012, Subsidiary Legislation to the Human Blood and Transplants Act (Cap483), enacted in 2006. This long awaited legislation provides a firm legal backing for transplantation services that are structured such as to ensure health and safety to both donor and recipient. The regulations apply to practices and procedures along the entire pathway from donation to transplantation of solid organs, and even beyond, to the collection of post transplant medical data. Malta has a good track record of safe working practices in transplant services. These have been offered since the early 1980’s, initially limited to corneal transplants, but soon followed by the first kidney transplant in 1983. Heart transplants are performed once a year, with the first being in 1996. (Transplant Support Group, Malta, 2013) Patients requiring liver transplants are referred to the UK while recently, in 2011, an agreement was reached with Palermo, Sicily for a lung transplant service. (ACCORD, 2012) Thu, 01 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4467 2013-08-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4466 Title: The in vitro fertilisation law Authors: Asciak, Michael Abstract: After twenty years of unregulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) practice and nine years of political debate, Malta finally has a law regulating IVF practice. The Bioethics Consultative Committee played a significant part in reaching the social consensus necessary for the passage of this Act which needed to be in line with the social value norms held by Maltese society. The law does not only regulate IVF procedures but also touches on other bioethical issues such as embryo testing, gamete donation, cloning, hybrid and chimera use, germ line gene therapy and embryonic stem cell use which have all been made illegal. Thu, 01 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4466 2013-08-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4465 Title: The Liverpool Care Pathway Authors: Saunders, John Abstract: For many practising doctors, especially in general practice or in general internal medicine, decisions at the end of life are often some of the most difficult. Not only is decision making difficult, but implementation may create a further set of problems. Most of us are orientated to doing something – usually something that is active, promoting life or health. Many end of life decisions demand something different: the acceptance that life is coming to an end and that the quality of the final phase of the patient’s illness is to offer a good death. The doctor must reorientate his or her thinking to a different, less distinct target. Reference to the the development of the Liverpool Care Pathway for the dying patient (LCP). Thu, 01 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4465 2013-08-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4464 Title: End of life decisions and advance directives Authors: Cassar, Daniela Abstract: In a recent study conducted by Dr Saul Weiner, it was established that ‘patients tend to do better when their doctors pay attention to their individual needs and circumstances’ (Seaman, 2013). The health care system in general has been steadily shifting its approach from a paternalistic approach to one in which both the doctor and the patient work together to achieve the best possible results. This also applies for the local scenario where measures have been proposed to promote patient rights and patient autonomy, particularly through a new patients’ charter for rights and responsibilities. Thu, 01 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4464 2013-08-01T00:00:00Z