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To: Jeremy Hunt MP - Secretary of State for Health

'Opt-out' Organ Donation system in the UK

Introduce an 'Opt-out' system for consent to organ donation.

Why is this important?

Many people in the UK are dying unnecessarily because of a shortage of organ donations available under the current system that requires individuals to register as organ donors. A year ago Wales introduced an 'opt-out' system that assumed a willingness to donate unless one specifically registered an objection in advance.

The system still allows for the family to be consulted prior to donation. Since the introduction of the new law in 2015, 160 organ transplants have been undertaken, 39 of which were from 'deemed consent' donors; that's 39 people who's lives have been saved or majorly improved in Wales alone. The Welsh Government hopes to achieve a figure of 25% over time. (International Medical Press, 05 December 2016.)

The British Medical Association (BMA) have advocated such a system since 1999 as the best option regarding obtaining consent and passed a resolution on the 22nd of June 2016 to urge doctors to lobby their respective governments to adopt a system similar to that in Wales. (International Medical Press, 23 June 2016.)

It's clear from the results in Wales in just one year , that such a system nationwide would save hundreds of lives by making life-saving organs more readily available.

Updates

2016-12-14 20:47:18 +0000

500 signatures reached

2016-12-08 22:29:51 +0000

100 signatures reached

2016-12-08 17:17:58 +0000

50 signatures reached

2016-12-07 19:31:33 +0000

25 signatures reached

2016-12-07 14:59:58 +0000

10 signatures reached