Think tank calls for evidence that opt-out organ donation works

People will have to opt out of donating their organs under new plans to boost the number of donations in England.

However ethics think tank. the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, has expressed concern that there have been misleading reports and official statements made that appear to overstate the impact of opting-out.

Hugh Whittall, director of the Council, said: “We are concerned that the Government consultation goes straight into asking how an opt-out system should be introduced, rather than if it should.

“We all want to maximise organ donation in a way that is in keeping with people’s wishes. The issue is what is the best way to do this, and we need first to understand the evidence and the implications of the options.

“The Government should not be making this change until there is evidence that it works, and until we are confident that it won’t undermine people’s trust in the system in the long-term. That evidence is simply not there yet, though we do know some things that do work. Key amongst those is raising public awareness, encouraging family discussion, and better support and communication between specialist nurses and bereaved families.”

The opt-out scheme would replace the current system in England where people sign up to a donor register.

The opt-out system was introduced in Wales back in December 2015. However a report last week by the Welsh Government revealed that the number of donors has not increased in the two years since it was introduced. In Wales, six per cent have signed the opt-out register.

England is now planning to go down the same path as is Scotland.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, launched a public consultation on the scheme, saying: “Every day, three people die for want of a transplant, which is why our historic plans to transform the way organ donation works are so important. We want as many people as possible to have their say as we shape the new opt-out process.

“But as well as changing the law, we also need to change the conversation. It can be a difficult subject to broach, but overcoming this fatal reluctance to talk openly about our wishes is key to saving many more lives in the future.

“Only about half of adults on the current organ register say they have discussed their wishes with a relative.”

Figures from NHS Blood and Transplant show that in the past year around 1,100 families in the UK decided not to allow organ donation because they did not know whether their relatives would have wanted it.

Currently, 80 per cent of people say they would be willing to donate their organs, but only 36 per cent register to become an organ donor.

The consultation will ask how much say families should have in their deceased relative’s decision to donate their organs and will look at what safeguards will be necessary.

Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “The Government’s commitment to an opt-out system is a commitment to ending the pain felt by families who risk losing a loved one while they wait for an organ. There is a desperate shortage of organ donors in the UK, but around 8 in 10 of us say we do want to donate our organs.

“Whatever your views are on organ donation, please share them. It’s a good time to make sure your loved ones know how you feel too because currently we have one of the lowest rates of consent to donation in Europe.”

To have your say on the consultation which closes on 6 March 2018, click here