BMA Scotland renewed its call for a public debate on the introduction of a “soft” system of presumed consent, whereby donation becomes the default position unless an individual selects to opt out or their relatives object. This, it said, would represent a shift of emphasis in favour of donation, while also putting safeguards in place to ensure the wishes of potential donors and family members are respected.

Figures from 2004 show that Belgium and the Czech Republic, both of which operate systems of presumed consent similar to what BMA Scotland is proposing, had donation rates of 20.8 and 20.5 per million of population respectively, whereas the donation rate for the UK in the same year was only 12.3 per million of population.

At present there are 818 people on the active and temporarily suspended transplant waiting list in Scotland.

Dr George Fernie, a member of the BMA’s Scottish Council, said: “The BMA has actively supported efforts to improve transplantation rates in the UK.  But despite an increase in the number of donors, there is still a desperate shortage of organs.  There are currently more than 800 people waiting for organs in Scotland - an increase of almost 20 per cent since 2005.  This doesn’t include those who die before even making it on to the waiting list.

“Surveys have shown that 90 per cent of the population supports organ donation, yet only 23 per cent have signed up to the organ donor register.  And so the decision falls to the family when they have just been told their relative has died or is dying.  Not surprisingly, when they do not know their relative’s wishes a large number (40 per cent) opt for the default position, which is not to donate.

“The BMA believes that a change to a system of presumed consent for organ donation addresses this problem, by making donation the default position from which people may opt out during their lifetime if they so wish.  

“The BMA is calling on the Scottish Executive to assess the level of support for such a policy.  It is not acceptable to reject presumed consent without at least making a clear effort to determine what the public’s opinion is on this matter.

“International experience shows that presumed consent improves donation rates and we would like to see a public debate on this issue to ascertain the best way forward.”

National Transplant Week will run from 7 to 14 July. For more information see here.