Transplant changes might not be enough

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 30th Aug 2006

As the new Human Tissue Act comes into force on 1st September 2006, Dr Evan Harris MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group and a long-time campaigner for transplantation law reform, said:

"I strongly welcome the changes to organ donation to ensure that the wishes of the deceased prevail, reducing the power or opportunity of veto by relatives over a person's positive decision to save lives by becoming a registered organ donor.

"It is vital however that the Government is willing to evaluate the success of these changes after a few years and consider switching to presumed consent with opt out which has been shown to be effective in other countries.

The new guidelines will also enable a technique to be conducted to preserve organs following death until the wishes of the deceased can be established (non-heart beating donation).

"If we are to capitalise on the opportunities offered by non-heart beating donation then we must ensure that there is enough capacity - surgeons, beds, co-ordinators - to maximise the number of organs transplanted. It would be a tragedy if any lives were lost due to a failure by the health service to make full use of this procedure."

END

Notes to Editors

Dr Evan Harris MP is the Science Spokesman for the Liberal Democrats. He is chair of All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group, a member of the BMA Medical Ethics Committee and has been a long-time campaigner for transplantation law reform.

The Human Tissue Act legislation is coming into force on 1st September 2006 following a consultation on the new codes of practice. Among other changes the legislation:

• Ensures that the wishes of the deceased legally take precedence over those of the family - relatives will no longer have the legal right to overrule a person's wish to donate organs or tissue.

• Will permit cold perfusion of non-heart beating donors - to preserve organs following death - until the wishes of the deceased can be established.

During the Human Tissue Act's passage through Parliament in 2004, Dr Evan Harris proposed an amendment which, if successful, would have brought presumed consent into legislation.