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| Donor 'opt-out' proposal rejected | Donor 'opt-out' proposal rejected |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A panel of experts has rejected plans to presume everyone consents to being an organ donor unless they opt out. | A panel of experts has rejected plans to presume everyone consents to being an organ donor unless they opt out. |
| The UK Organ Donation Taskforce - a government advisory committee - said there was little evidence the move would increase availability of organs. | The UK Organ Donation Taskforce - a government advisory committee - said there was little evidence the move would increase availability of organs. |
| The prime minister and the chief medical officer are among supporters of a "presumed consent" system. | The prime minister and the chief medical officer are among supporters of a "presumed consent" system. |
| They believe it would tackle the chronic shortage of organs and save thousands of lives. | They believe it would tackle the chronic shortage of organs and save thousands of lives. |
| We found from recipient families and donor families that the concept of gift was very important to them and presumed consent would undermine that concept Elizabeth BugginsUK Organ Donation Taskforce | We found from recipient families and donor families that the concept of gift was very important to them and presumed consent would undermine that concept Elizabeth BugginsUK Organ Donation Taskforce |
| The UK has one of the lowest organ donation rates in Europe. | The UK has one of the lowest organ donation rates in Europe. |
| There are currently around 8,000 people in the UK who need an organ transplant but only 3,000 operations are carried out each year. | There are currently around 8,000 people in the UK who need an organ transplant but only 3,000 operations are carried out each year. |
| Every year, 1,000 people in the UK die after waiting for a transplant. | Every year, 1,000 people in the UK die after waiting for a transplant. |
| Earlier this year Gordon Brown said a presumed consent system had the potential to close the "aching gap" between the potential benefits of transplant surgery in the UK and the limits imposed by the current system of consent. | Earlier this year Gordon Brown said a presumed consent system had the potential to close the "aching gap" between the potential benefits of transplant surgery in the UK and the limits imposed by the current system of consent. |
| Strong emotions | Strong emotions |
| Elizabeth Buggins, chair of the taskforce, said the issue raised "really strong emotions." | Elizabeth Buggins, chair of the taskforce, said the issue raised "really strong emotions." |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| But she said the task force, which had gathered over 400 pages of evidence from across the world, had found little evidence that presumed consent would increase the number of organs available for transplant. | But she said the task force, which had gathered over 400 pages of evidence from across the world, had found little evidence that presumed consent would increase the number of organs available for transplant. |
| She said although a system of presumed consent in Spain had been followed by a rise in organ donation, that rise was not thought to be down to the switch. | She said although a system of presumed consent in Spain had been followed by a rise in organ donation, that rise was not thought to be down to the switch. |
| Ms Buggins said: "We found from recipient families and donor families that the concept of gift was very important to them and presumed consent would undermine that concept." | Ms Buggins said: "We found from recipient families and donor families that the concept of gift was very important to them and presumed consent would undermine that concept." |
| "We also found that it has the potential to erode trust in doctors, and we know that is very important to the levels of donation." | "We also found that it has the potential to erode trust in doctors, and we know that is very important to the levels of donation." |
| Instead, Ms Buggins said a rise in organ donations was more likely to be achieved by increasing in the number of donor coordinators who work with bereaved families, and the number of specialists who retrieve organs, and by launching public information campaigns. | Instead, Ms Buggins said a rise in organ donations was more likely to be achieved by increasing in the number of donor coordinators who work with bereaved families, and the number of specialists who retrieve organs, and by launching public information campaigns. |
| "There is lots of fear out there that organs are taken from patients before they are dead - that is absolutely not true." | "There is lots of fear out there that organs are taken from patients before they are dead - that is absolutely not true." |
| Medical split | |
| The medical profession is divided on the issue of presumed consent. | The medical profession is divided on the issue of presumed consent. |
| In September, intensive care doctors told the BBC they were deeply concerned about any radical changes to the law on organ donation. | In September, intensive care doctors told the BBC they were deeply concerned about any radical changes to the law on organ donation. |
| Research by the Intensive Care Society suggests many specialists are worried that such a move would damage the trust between patients and doctors. | Research by the Intensive Care Society suggests many specialists are worried that such a move would damage the trust between patients and doctors. |
| But Dr Vivian Nathanson, chair of ethics at the British Medical Association, said she was disappointed by the task force's findings. | |
| She said presumed consent was not a panacea, but was likely to result in a 10-15% increase in donated organs. | |
| She said it would also encourage families to discuss their views, and make their position clear. | |
| The BMA supports a 'soft' system of presumed consent, where individuals who do not want to donate their organs have a formal mechanism for registering that objection and where families are consulted to identify any unregistered objection. | |
| Tim Statham of the National Kidney Federation said organs were being wasted because of a lack of capacity in the NHS - a situation which presumed consent would not solve. | |
| Joyce Robins, co-director of Patient Concern, said: 'We can only hope that Gordon Brown does not follow the example of the Welsh Health minister Edwina Hart, who rejected the all-party Welsh Assembly report when they decided against presumed consent after weeks of evidence and is still pressing ahead." | |
| A report recommending a radical overhaul of the UK organ donor network in a bid to double the number of organs available for transplant, has already been published by the Organ Donor Taskforce, and is being implemented. | A report recommending a radical overhaul of the UK organ donor network in a bid to double the number of organs available for transplant, has already been published by the Organ Donor Taskforce, and is being implemented. |
| The latest recommendations on presumed consent are not binding and the government could decide to press ahead with changes to the legislation. | The latest recommendations on presumed consent are not binding and the government could decide to press ahead with changes to the legislation. |
| Any change to the system would involve amending the Human Tissue Act of 2004. | |
| Health ministers in Scotland and Wales have suggested they are sympathetic to arguments in favour of presumed consent. | Health ministers in Scotland and Wales have suggested they are sympathetic to arguments in favour of presumed consent. |