German transplant medicine has been grappling with a severe organ shortage for years and lags significantly behind other European countries. Whilst the focus has so far been primarily on organisational reforms, the current criterion for determining death – irreversible brain death – has remained unchanged. An interdisciplinary project at the Göttingen Centre for Medical Law investigated whether the introduction of donation after circulatory death (DCD) could be a useful addition. The medical analyses indicate a significant additional donor potential. From a medical ethics perspective, the ‘dead donor rule’ is the main topic of discussion, particularly the question of whether permanent functional failure, rather than absolute irreversibility, may be sufficient. From a legal perspective, the study examines whether DCD would be compatible with constitutional law, criminal law and the Transplantation Act, taking international experience into account. This volume is intended as a starting point for an in-depth debate on whether Germany may and should expand its organ donation system in order to help more people on the waiting lists.