Media Statement July 2001

Statement on organ donation

Transplantation is the most cost-effective treatment for end-stage renal failure and the only treatment available for end stage liver or cardiac failure. In spite of this, waiting lists for transplants of all types continue to increase in almost every country including the UK.

The only real limitation to increasing the number of organ transplants is the number of organ donors, which has fallen during the 1990's in the UK. Given that evidence suggests that many more potential donors exist than currently come forward, it is clear that changes do need to be made.

The UK needs to learn from countries like Spain and Norway whose organ donation rates over the last 10 years have risen steadily and are now twice that in the UK. The National Kidney Research Fund is committed to seeking answers to the shortfall in organ donor rates and this year invited Professor Rafael Matesanz, the former Director of National Transplant Organization (ONT), the Spanish equivalent of UK Transplant, to meet a British audience of healthcare professionals to explore reasons why the organ donation rate in Spain is now twice that in the UK.

The system of presumed consent is present in Spain however that in itself appears not to have been the major reason for the success of their system. The National Kidney Research Fund is supportive of a soft system of presumed consent, a view that is backed up by the public, as demonstrated in a survey conducted by the Fund in July 2000. However presumed consent is by no means the whole answer and the Fund believes that to improve the organ donation rate within the UK other factors also need to be considered. Namely:-

  • An increase in intensive care unit (ICU) beds
  • Improved co-ordination of the Transplant Co-ordinators Network
  • Hospitals must be in a position to audit all potential donors and report centrally
  • Use of older donors, non-heart beating donors and living donors, both related and non-related, must be considered.
  • Media support and socio-cultural factors are important to raise awareness and increase organ donation rates

NB: The Fund has met with UK Transplant recently and believes that they are well aware of the situation and have plans for improvement but this does not include Presumed Consent.

For more information on Kidney Research UK please click here for a contact number.