Organ Opt-Out Scheme is Triple Win for Donors, Relatives and Patients

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 17th Jul 2007

The UK's leading campaigner for a change in organ donation law to presumed consent (with opt-out), Dr Evan Harris MP, today welcomed the announcement of the support of the Chief Medical Officer.

Dr Harris, who chairs the All-Party Kidney Group and is a member of the BMA Medical Ethics Committee said:

"Prof Donaldson's conversion to the cause is a real boost, since the Department of Health opposed the measure during the passage of the Human Tissue Act in 2003."

"Presumed consent is good for donors - who would have their wishes respected more of the time than under the current system- good for relatives of the deceased donor - who are less likely to end up regretting a grief-stricken refusal of consent under the current system - and good for recipients - more of whom get a chance of life. It is a win, win, win situation for donors, for their relatives and for recipients."

"There is good evidence from other countries that a switch to presumed consent with opt-out leads to higher rates of organ donation with fewer wasted organs and more lives saved or transformed. It has also been popular and supported in those countries where it has been introduced."

"Given that rates of organ transplantation are flat-lining despite all the efforts being made under the current system, it is time for the Government to back this change."