The Ministerial Taskforce on Organ Donation

Abstract

Organ donation rates in the UK are amongst the lowest in Europe and there is a widening gap between the supply of cadaveric organ donors and the demand for solid organ transplants. The Report from the Organ Donation Taskforce has recently been published and its 14 recommendations represent a structured and systematic approach to organ donation in the UK. The proposed changes will ensure that organ donation is considered every time a potential organ donor dies, that the wishes of the potential organ donor or their family are ascertained and respected, and that every opportunity is taken to maximise the number of organs that can be transplanted successfully. Clarification of legal and ethical issues will allow clinicians to embrace these changes with confidence. Taken together, the recommendations will deliver the organ donation service that is so urgently needed in the UK.