BRITONS CHEERY ABOUT ORGAN DONATION
Britons have a positive attitude towards organ donation, but few translate their good intentions into deeds. In a recent survey conducted for the Human Tissue Authority, 68% of people indicated that they would probably donate organs or tissue. However, only 5% had done anything about it.
The main issue centred on consent. Nearly half said they would be happy for their tissue or organs to be used with their prior consent. About 33% thought it acceptable for their family members to give consent on their behalf after their death, and 19% believed that it was never acceptable to use tissue or organs for any purpose without the consent of the individual or family. About 1 in 6 people had no opinion on the topic.
Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.
Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)
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