Donating organs

SIR – As several readers have demonstrated, presumed consent is not a “better” form of consent for organ donation (Letters, February 28). Nor is there any convincing evidence that changing the law would lead to a sustained increase in the number of donors.

Almost everyone would wish to see a rise in donors, but I wonder if those who support presumed consent are misunderstanding the way donation currently works.

It is often said that “to be a donor you must opt in and sign the organ donor register”. Because only 36 per cent of the population have signed up, it is assumed that the missing 64 per cent cannot donate because they haven’t opted in. This is wrong. In practice, almost every time a patient dies and it is possible that they could donate, the family is approached.

Being on the register is the best way to record your wishes, but not the only way. In the last full year of data, well over half of the donors were not on the register when they died. So opting-out legislation would not affect the number of people who could be donors (apart from those it excludes because they have opted out).

Organ donation has increased by more than 75 per cent in the past 10 years. There is still much more that could be done – but without changing to a controversial new law. Professor CJ Rudge FRCS

National Clinical Director for Transplantation, 2008-2011 Fawkham, Kent