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Sep 2020
Organ donation ‘opt-out’ law in Scotland to begin in March 2021
The Scottish government has announced that organ donation will become an opt-out system in March next year.
The current system is that people must ‘opt in’ by registering to donate their organs for transplants after their die. The new law states that it will be assumed people will choose to donate unless they have stated otherwise.
The changes only affect people who die in hospital and were meant to come into effect this year, but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ministers are hopeful the move will save and improve the lives of people waiting for an organ.
Scottish public health minister Joe FitzPatrick has announced the new measures will come into force on 26th March 2021.
He said “Scotland has made huge strides in increasing transplant rates over the past decade, thanks to the generosity of those who choose to become donors and their families.
“The move to an opt-out system is part of a package of measures to continue to improve transplantation rates – and the lives of those for whom the wait continues.
“Only around 1% of people die in a way that makes organ donation possible, so every opportunity for donation is very precious.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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