Plaid welcome presumed consent announcement
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has welcomed the One Wales Government’s announcement today (Friday, 18 December 2009) to apply for the powers to bring about a system of soft-presumed consent for organ donation in Wales.
The announcement is a result of years of campaigning by organisations and individuals throughout Wales.
Long-term presumed consent campaigner Dr. Dai Lloyd welcomed the bid for a Legislative Competence Order (LCO) which would give the Assembly the necessary power to implement the system. He stated:
“This statement of principle by the One Wales Government is a key milestone in our attempts to bring about a system of presumed consent in Wales. This means that if the LCO bid is successful, then we in Wales could take a lead and introduce a system whereby individuals would have to opt out of an organ donation system, as opposed to the current situation of having to opt-in.
“This statement follows an in-depth consultation process undertaken by the Assembly Government across Wales involving key organisations and individuals. Research suggests that 90 percent of the general population are in favour of organ donation, yet recent figures show that only 28 percent actually get round to doing anything about it by signing up as an organ donor.
“The number of people needing a transplant in Wales is at an all time high. In the last seven years for example, those listed as waiting for a new kidney has rocketed from 309 in December 2001 to around 500 today.
“Quite simply, people are dying on these waiting lists. We have the opportunity to change that by simply changing our approach. There is no doubt that a system of soft-presumed consent would produce a far higher potential donor rate than at present, which is far too low at 28%.
“In the 22 countries around the globe that currently operate a system of presumed consent the evidence shows that donor rates are around 25 to 35% higher than in Wales.
“Far too many families in Wales are watching a brother, sister, mother or father waiting for a life-saving transplant, when the answer is staring us in the face. We need more organ donors, and presumed consent is proven to work.”
