Government Task Force To Explore Presumed Consent For Organ Donation, UK

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 20 Sep 2007 - 18:00 PDT

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Health Secretary Alan Johnson has asked the organ donation taskforce to explore whether all adults should be automatically included on the organ donor register.

The proposal, known as presumed consent, would view everybody as a potential donor unless they had registered an objection or 'opted out' before death. The taskforce will examine the complex moral and medical issues around presumed consent, including giving the family of the deceased a final say on the donation of any organs.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said:

"We know that around 8,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant but only 3,000 transplants are carried out each year. With more than 400 people dying every year waiting for a new kidney, heart, lung of liver we need to do everything possible to increase organ donation.

"I want to see organ donation and transplant rates start to rise and match the rates seen in some other European countries enabling us to save many more lives.

"The Chief Medical Officer's annual report helped put the idea of presumed consent into the public arena to be debated. This is a sensitive issue, but it is vital that all possible options for increasing the number of organs available for transplant are explored.

"I have asked the Organ Donation Taskforce to look at the complex issue of presumed consent specifically and report back to me."

In order to properly examine the complex issues that relate to an opt out or presumed consent system, the Organ Donor Task Force will consider all of the issues, commission the necessary research, consult stakeholders and advise Ministers.

Elisabeth Buggins, the chair of the Organ Donation taskforce said:

"I am very pleased that the taskforce has been asked to explore this incredibly important issue. We will establish a special sub group to take this work forward which will examine the complex medical, ethical, legal and societal issues."

1. The NHS Organ Donor Register is a computerised database used to immediately identify those who have registered and indicated that they wish to be donors in the event of their death. There are currently over 14.5 million people (around 24 per cent of the population) on the register.

2. The Government established the Organ Donation Taskforce in 2006. We asked them to identify barriers to organ donation, explore current issues that might have a bearing on donation rates, and recommend action to be taken to increase organ donation.

3. The taskforce have looked at international and national evidence of success. They are due to report their findings and make recommendations on how donation rates could be improved to ministers shortly.

4. The Human Tissue Act 2004 states that no organs and tissue for transplantation can be taken without the consent of the deceased or their relatives.

5. A presumed consent or opt -out scheme would require changes to current legislation and wide-ranging consultation. Consideration would need to be given to the medical, ethical, legal and societal issues, including research into attitudes amongst the public.

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