Organ donor 'opt-out' system dismissed

[okarol]

Organ donor 'opt-out' system dismissed

Posted Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:00pm AEDT

A Queensland state parliamentary committee has rejected the idea of an 'opt-out' system for organ donations.

The select committee considered making all Queenslanders organ donors unless they specifically chose not to be.

Chairwoman Karen Struthers has told Parliament that the committee instead has recommended better education and improved consent arrangements to boost voluntary donations.

"The committee did not identity any convincing evidence that 'presumed consent' would increase organ and tissue donation in Queensland and concluded that 'presumed consent' was not likely to be effective at this time," she said.

"The committee is optimistic however that donation rates can be improved and in fact doubled."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/28/2403627.htm