More than 200 lives a year could be saved if ‘opt-out’ organ donation system adopted in England
Currently, anyone who wants their body to be used for transplants after death has to join the donor register
MORE than 200 lives a year could be saved if England introduced an “opt-out” system for organ donation.
Currently, anyone who wants their body to be used for transplants after death has to join the donor register.
But ministers are keen to introduce a new system of deemed consent.
Under proposals launched in December, it will be presumed a person agrees to be a donor unless they specifically say no.
Wales introduced an opt-out system in 2015.
Claire Williment, head of transplant development at , said a similar approach in England will boost donor numbers by 100 annually.
And it will raise the numbers of organs available for transplant by 228 each year.
Every day three patients die needing life-saving transplant.
But she admitted changing to opt-out would still not help everyone who needs an organ.
Speaking at a briefing at the Science Media Centre in London, said: “It’s got the nation talking and anything that gets people discussing organ donation is a positive.
“There’s no magic formula. It will always be making the most of opportunities and getting people talking.
“Opt out complements and works alongside our strategy rather than replaces it.”
Others were less convinced it will help solve England’s organ shortage.
Keith Rigg, consultant transplant surgeon at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said he was sceptical.
He said: “There is that view that opt-out is seen as the best thing since sliced bread and that it will sort the problem out.
“But there is a much wider perspective. Assuming opt-out does come in, it’s hard to know how much difference that will make.”
HOW YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE
Organ donation is giving an organ or tissue to help someone who needs a transplant.
Transplants can save or greatly enhance the lives of other people.
But this relies on donors and their families agreeing to donate their organ or tissue.
There are two types of organ donations; when a person is living and when a person has died.
In death, most organs can be donated.
While a donor is still living, they can choose to donate a kidney, a small section of their liver, discarded bone from a hip or knee replacement and also their amniotic membrane.
Doctors can only use organs and tissues from a registered donor with the families consent after they die.
So if you are a donor, make sure you have discussed your wishes with family and friends.
To register to donate your organs visit
Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: “One person dies every day whilst waiting for a kidney transplant; it is abundantly clear that we need to review our current system now to stop this continuing.
"Whilst this latest data highlights that changing to an opt-out system is not going to be a silver bullet, it is likely to increase donors and is one part of a package of measures that we need to implement if we are ever going to stop people dying needlessly for want of a new organ.”
MORE ON ORGAN DONATION
More than 450 people died in 2016 while on the active transplant waiting list – patients ready to receive a donor organ but one did not arrive in time.
A further 875 people were removed from the list, mostly because they became too ill to undergo transplant surgery.
Experts also said families may no longer be allowed to refuse organ donation.
They confirmed it is one of the options being considered as part of the three-month consultation.
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