Kidney Wales Foundation Evidence to Lords Committee

kidney wales - Google Search

In Kidney Wales evidence to the House Of Lords EU Select Committee yesterday:

1. The Lords questioned the relatively little empirical evidence on the impact of presumed consent on donation rates. However,KW pointed out the study by Abadie and Gay of Harvard and Chicago Universities (2005) to examine this across 22 countries who have introduced presumed consent systems over a 10 year period. The study found that presumed consent had a positive and sizeable effect on organ donation rates of some 25%-35% higher on average in presumed consent countries.

2. Kidney Wales proposes that the law on consent for organ donation be changed and that for purposes of disease treatment Welsh residents are presumed to be organ donors on death unless:

• They have opted out
• They cannot be identified
• The persons place of residence cannot be identified
• The wishes of the deceased can be proven to be contrary after relatives have been contacted
• Immediate relatives object.

KW will be attending the Assembly Health and Wellbeing Committee at the Assembly on 30 of January 2007 scoping a change in law in Wales on presumed consent .