A CHANGE in the law on organ donation came a step closer today when UK Health Secretary Alan Johnson ordered an investigation into the idea of an "opt out" system.
He announced the UK-wide Organ Donation Task Force would explore the issues involved in introducing "presumed consent" - where medical staff can assume a dead person's organs are available for transplant unless the individual has stated otherwise.
The move was welcomed by Scotland's Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, who said the work needed to be undertaken on a UK basis to avoid the risk of different systems developing in different parts of the UK.
She said: "We have always welcomed debate on this issue, since such a change would need strong backing by both the public and the health professions before it could be made to work.
"Organs available for transplantation are allocated on a UK-wide basis. It is for that reason the task force has a UK-wide remit.
"I very much share Alan Johnson's aspiration that organ donation rates in every part of the UK should match the rates in other European countries such as Spain."
And Lothians Labour MSP George Foulkes, who has been campaigning in the Scottish Parliament for a change in the law, hailed today's announcement as a major step forward.
His motion at Holyrood, calling for an opt-out system, has attracted cross-party support from MSPs including several who voted against the idea when it was debatedt 18 months ago.
Mr Foulkes said: "With Alan Johnson's announcement and given the growing support for my motion, the tide seems to be running in our favour north and south of the Border."
There are more than 800 Scots on the waiting list for transplants, but last year there were just 50 organs donated in Scotland.
Figures from UK Transplant suggest up to 90 per cent of the population are in favour of donating their organs to save or transform the lives of others should the situation arise, but less than 25 per cent of people are actually on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Earlier this year, England's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, signalled his support for presumed consent, although Scotland's chief medical officer, Harry Burns, has taken the opposite view.
The British Medical Association is among those eager to see a change in the law and it welcomed the task force probe as "good news". Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head BMA ethics and science, said: "We believe that when the task force looks at this issue in detail they will agree with us that a system of presumed consent with safeguards, will help to increase the number of donors available.
"At least one person dies every day while waiting for an organ transplant and we desperately need to change this.
"Before any changes go ahead however, it is essential that a public information campaign is launched so that people are completely aware of the choices they can make about organ donation.
"It is important that everyone realises that they will not be compelled to donate their organs but simply make their feelings known if they do not want to donate."
In February last year, Lib Demo John Farquhar Munro tried to amend legislation on organ donations in the Scottish Parliament to create an opt-out system, but it was defeated by 87 votes to 18.
But five of the MSPs who voted against the move have now backed Mr Foulkes' motion, which is also supported by Labour public health spokesmen Dr Richard Simpson, and SNP Lothians MSP Dr Ian McKee.
The full article contains 603 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
