“Historic Day” for organ donation in Wales
Posted: July 5, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorised
The health minister has described the acceptance of a new system regarding organ donation as being a “historic day”. A recent vote has allowed Wales to introduce a new ‘opt-out’ system for organ donation, meaning that individuals are assumed to have consented to their organs being donated after death.
This ranks Wales as the first part of the UK to introduce this system, while also putting the UK as the first nation to pioneer the new opt-out method. It is believed that this system will come into play in around 2015.
“One person dies every week in Wales waiting for an organ transplant… The current system has failed those waiting” – Roy J Thomas, Kidney Wales Foundation
Eliminating laziness
The thought behind this new scheme is to eliminate the capacity for people to not tick a box on paperwork due to laziness. With a new system that assumes a willingness to donate organs, not only does this greater accept and normalise organ donation in society, but it secures an extra barrier for those unwilling to donate after death.
Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician, Mark Drakeford, told media how proud he was of the vote’s outcome. The vote took place just before 22:00 BST and 43 out of 60 assembly members backed the bill. Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies did not vote and eight Conservatives voted against the new system.
The British Medical Association has thoroughly welcomed the result of the vote; they believe that this is the way forward for the entire UK, as many lives will be saved as a result.
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