Donations Would Increase With Opt-Out Organ Donor System

Allowing people to opt-out of the organ donations would actually increase the number of organs available for transplantation, researchers have said.

Sheila Bird from the Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit in Cambridge and John Harris from the Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation in Manchester have argued that a previous effort that examined the merits of an opt-out system underestimated its benefits.

"Presumed consent, even allowing for overrule by relatives, should ultimately cut costs, add life, and save bereaved families from anxious, as well as generous, deliberation in extremis," the researchers write.

The added that allowing an opt-out system would enable at least 300 more operations each year. The details are available in the British Medical Journal online.


Source-Medindia
RAS