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Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk underwent a successful liver transplant earlier this week, thanks to the astounding generosity of an anonymous, live donor. But what if there were a way to increase the odds of finding a deceased donor, saving more people from major, potentially dangerous surgery?
Ontario has one of the highest organ donation rates in Canada, which sounds impressive until you read the actual number: 26 per cent. In 2013, 86 of the 500 or so people in Canada on the waiting list for liver transplants died.
Twenty-six per cent isn’t good enough for a province and country that claims to support organ donation at a much higher clip. While Melnyk’s situation is sure to boost organ donation in the short term, just as Ottawa resident Hélène Campbell’s case resulted in thousands of registrations the week she appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show a few years ago, it’s simply not enough.
It’s time for this province and this country to have a serious discussion about presumed consent to organ and tissue donation. While Canadians must register to give, countries such as Spain, Belgium and Austria put the onus on their citizens to opt out instead of opting in. Donation rates are generally much higher in those countries as a result.
Is presumed consent a panacea? Of course not. Some people will still skip out, and families can choose not to honour the wishes of the deceased. Demographics and religious or ethical beliefs would also play a big part in how things would shake out here. But odds are donation rates would be much, much higher than they are now. It would turn the good intentions of those too busy or distracted to sign up into life-saving action. For those uncomfortable with donating, the solution doesn’t change: just choose not to do it.
Is there a better, less aggressive way to improve our performance in this area? Possibly, though you’d think we’d have figured it out by now. The Canadian Liver Foundation certainly isn’t buying it.
“Countries that have presumed consent have high organ donor rates,” reads the organization’s position statement on the topic. “Even if presumed consent is often over-ridden by family members, its presence will inevitably result in improved organ donation rates. However, unless presumed consent is adopted there will be no improvement in liver transplant waiting list mortality.”
Melnyk, as a professional hockey team owner in Canada, was able to use his fame to track down the help he needed.
Most people in desperate need of a transplant cannot. They deserve better.
查看原文...
Ontario has one of the highest organ donation rates in Canada, which sounds impressive until you read the actual number: 26 per cent. In 2013, 86 of the 500 or so people in Canada on the waiting list for liver transplants died.
Twenty-six per cent isn’t good enough for a province and country that claims to support organ donation at a much higher clip. While Melnyk’s situation is sure to boost organ donation in the short term, just as Ottawa resident Hélène Campbell’s case resulted in thousands of registrations the week she appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show a few years ago, it’s simply not enough.
It’s time for this province and this country to have a serious discussion about presumed consent to organ and tissue donation. While Canadians must register to give, countries such as Spain, Belgium and Austria put the onus on their citizens to opt out instead of opting in. Donation rates are generally much higher in those countries as a result.
Is presumed consent a panacea? Of course not. Some people will still skip out, and families can choose not to honour the wishes of the deceased. Demographics and religious or ethical beliefs would also play a big part in how things would shake out here. But odds are donation rates would be much, much higher than they are now. It would turn the good intentions of those too busy or distracted to sign up into life-saving action. For those uncomfortable with donating, the solution doesn’t change: just choose not to do it.
Is there a better, less aggressive way to improve our performance in this area? Possibly, though you’d think we’d have figured it out by now. The Canadian Liver Foundation certainly isn’t buying it.
“Countries that have presumed consent have high organ donor rates,” reads the organization’s position statement on the topic. “Even if presumed consent is often over-ridden by family members, its presence will inevitably result in improved organ donation rates. However, unless presumed consent is adopted there will be no improvement in liver transplant waiting list mortality.”
Melnyk, as a professional hockey team owner in Canada, was able to use his fame to track down the help he needed.
Most people in desperate need of a transplant cannot. They deserve better.
查看原文...
