November 17, 2008

publication of taskforce on presumed consent

Speakers:
Elisabeth Buggins, Chair, Organ Donation Task Force
Paul Murphy, Taskforce member and Consultant in Neuroanaesthesia and Critical Care, Leeds General Infirmary
Christine Elding, Taskforce member, transplant co-ordinator
Vivienne Parry, Taskforce member, writer and broadcaster
Prof Gurch Randhawa, Taskforce member and Director of the Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire

The UK Organ Donation Taskforce has been asked by government to look at whether a move to an ‘opt out’ system would save lives by making more organs available for transplant. The Taskforce’s work involved taking evidence form a wide range of stakeholders, 6 sub committees working on different aspects, a systematic review of all published literature, a comprehensive series of deliberative public events and one to one interviews with 17 different faiths. This report is the most comprehensive investigation into presumed consent ever carried out and the findings were launched at the Science Media Centre.