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<<27 June 2008

Organ donation organization needs to change

Reorganizing the current organ donation system is more effective than introducing the presumed consent system, according to a House of Lords’ report on Tuesday.

The system will mean hospitals automatically presume everyone has given consent for their organs to be donated after their deaths.

In Britain, the organ donor rate is only 12.8 per million population, compared to the leader in the field, Spain, which operates the presumed consent system, and reaches a rate of 35.1, said European Union Committee.

Chairman of the committee Baroness Howarth of Breckland, said:” we believe that many more, and better trained, medical staff should have the role of providing organ donation services. This would go a long way to increasing the availability of organs for donation without needing to adopt a system of presumed consent.”

The Prime Minister called for a national debate on introducing the presumed consent system in January.

A mother whose young daughter’s organs helped save four people’s lives has backed the government plan.

Debbie Stoner, from Dorset, said: “So because when you are in the depth of despairing, you just never think of organ transplantation.

“So make a decision beforehand, and then you won’t have to leave it to your family members. Thant’s why I’m 10% behind it.”

The report calls on the Government to act urgently to address the shortage of available organs for transplantation in the UK.