Organ Donation Rates Plummet In UK

According to a study conducted by the UK Transplant organization it is found that the organ donation rates among the people of UK have fallen sharply. The main reason sited is that the relatives and family members are reluctant to allow transplantation procedures. Statistics show that out of 1 million only 12 come forward to donate their organs for transplant. The results of the study are published in the British Medical Journal. The family members deny their consent for organ donation.

The researchers at UK Transplant, the NHS's organ-matching organisation said that when compared to the other European countries UK suffers from a serious shortage of organs for transplantation. On the other hand Spain has a highest rate of about 33 donations per 1million people. The two year study analysed the donations from deaths in 284 hospitals throughout the UK. It was found that the donor rate was 23.2 donations per million populations per year. Out of the 94% of patients whose families were approached for organ donation 41% of the families denied consent. The main reasons for their denial being that they did not want surgery on the body, they were not sure if the patient would have agreed or that the relatives were divided. The refusal rates were highest among the families from ethnic minorities (70%) and those of the white donors (35%).