British Medical Association Call For Bold Action To Increase Organ Donor Rates

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 19 Jan 2010 - 16:00 PDT

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Commenting on the launch of Scotland's new organ donation teaching pack today (Tuesday January 19 2010), the BMA welcomed the Government's attempts to get young people to discuss the issues surrounding organ donation but said that bold action was required to improve donation rates.

Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland said:

"The BMA has actively supported efforts to improve transplantation rates. But despite many high profile campaigns to generate an increase in the number of donors, there has been limited success.

"Between April 2004 and March 2005, 52 Scots died while they were waiting for an organ transplant, others will have died without even reaching the waiting list. Meanwhile, repeated studies show that over 90% of the population supports organ donation, yet only a third have signed up to the organ donor register.

"The BMA believes that a change to a system of presumed consent for organ donation addresses this problem, by making donation the default position from which people may opt out during their lifetime if they so wish. Given the exceptionally high level of support for donation, this is simply making it easier for people to achieve their wish to donate."

Source
The British Medical Association

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