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BRITAIN-ORGAN-DONATION
Britain to adop new opt-out system for organ donation
LONDON, Aug 5, 2018 (BSS/XINHUA) – The British government announced Sunday
that it has outlined plans to implement a new system of consent for organ and
tissue donation in 2020 in order to tackle a shortage of donors.
This opt-out system, opposite to the current opt-in system, will mean
everyone is considered a willing organ donor unless they have explicitly
recorded a wish not to be.
Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement that the proposed
new system is expected to come into effect in England in spring 2020, and
there will be a 12-month transition period to allow time for discussion with
friends and family about organ donation preferences.
People who do not want to donate their organs will be able to register
their decision through NHS websites, phone calls, and an app which will
launch at the end of this year.
It is believed the new system would save up to 700 lives each year.
Jackie Doyle-Price, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental
Health and Inequalities, said: “We believe that by making these changes, we
can save as many as 700 more lives every year. But organ donation remains a
gift. I want to encourage people who wish to give life in the event of their
death to take the time to record their wishes and discuss it with their
family. ”
“However, we know this new system alone is not a magic bullet. We need to
address myths and misconceptions around donation, and we will only do this by
having informed debate and dialogue, which I hope will be fostered by these
proposals,” she added.
Currently, would-be donors must indicate their intentions on the NHS Organ
Donor Register, or grieving families must make the decision if a patient’s
wish to donate is unknown.
While research shows that 82 percent of people in England support organ
donation, only 37 percent have indicated so on the register.
In 2017, 411 people died in Britain before the right donor was found, and
more than 5,000 people are currently on the waiting list in England.
A similar opt-out system has been in place in Wales since 2015. Scotland
plans to introduce a similar scheme and Northern Ireland has also expressed
an interest.
BSS/XINHUA/ARS/1706 hrs