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17/07/2007
Everyone 'should be treated as organ donors'
Everyone in the UK should be regarded as a potential organ donor, unless they specifically request to opt out, according to Britain's most senior medical official.
Sir Liam Donaldson, England's chief medical officer, suggested that a new scheme was needed in order to tackle the shortage of organs needed for transplants.
A new system would see people who want to opt out of donating their organs having to register, instead of the current system, which works the other way around.
A similar idea was rejected by MPs in 2004 when they voted on the Human Tissues Act.
Sir Liam said that efforts to encourage people to either sign the NHS Organ Donor Register had failed, although, according to surveys, 70% of people were willing to donate their organs after death.
Waiting lists for organ transplants have reached an all-time high, according to figures released earlier this year.
The UK Transplant figures showed that 7,234 people were registered as waiting for a transplant on March 31 - an increase of 8% from the previous year.
However, the figures also showed that the number of people receiving transplant operations had risen by 10% from the previous year, rising to 3,074, the highest number on record.
Transplant campaigners have welcomed Sir Liam’s recommendations, although Patient Concern said that organ donation "was a generous gift, not an obligation".
(KMcA/JM)
Sir Liam Donaldson, England's chief medical officer, suggested that a new scheme was needed in order to tackle the shortage of organs needed for transplants.
A new system would see people who want to opt out of donating their organs having to register, instead of the current system, which works the other way around.
A similar idea was rejected by MPs in 2004 when they voted on the Human Tissues Act.
Sir Liam said that efforts to encourage people to either sign the NHS Organ Donor Register had failed, although, according to surveys, 70% of people were willing to donate their organs after death.
Waiting lists for organ transplants have reached an all-time high, according to figures released earlier this year.
The UK Transplant figures showed that 7,234 people were registered as waiting for a transplant on March 31 - an increase of 8% from the previous year.
However, the figures also showed that the number of people receiving transplant operations had risen by 10% from the previous year, rising to 3,074, the highest number on record.
Transplant campaigners have welcomed Sir Liam’s recommendations, although Patient Concern said that organ donation "was a generous gift, not an obligation".
(KMcA/JM)
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