Brain death and cadaveric organ donation for transplantation present many challenges to society and even to the medical community; therefore, an ethical and legal framework is mandatory. Social values, death taboo, ignorance and procrastination are often issues that can influence the act of organ donation. This article sets out the close link between modern bioethics principles, legal framework, social and cultural value and cadaveric organ donation in the Romanian society. Organ donation, brain death and transplantation will continue to present challening questions for laws and bioethics and it is crucial that medical comunity and society members understand the involved principles, so that they can contibute to increasing the rate of organ donation and maintaining public confidence.