Cadaver Organ Donation Down in United Kingdom

Despite attempts to increase the number of organ donors, the total number of transplants in the United Kingdom using organs from cadaver donors was down 10 percent in the year ending in June 2002, according to the Liberal Democrats.

In the first six months of 2002, 1,172 transplant operations were carried out compared with 1,328 in the same period the previous year.

Sue Sutherland, chief executive of UK Transplant, said: "The numbers of donors are random in any period of time and it's too early in the year to tell whether we have a major problem.

Kidney transplants using organs from cadaver donors during the year from June 2001 to June 2002 were down by 15 percent, according to Liberal Democrat Health Sectetary Dr. Evan Harris.

Harris said it was time for the current program -- which relies, as in most states in the United States, on obtaining consent for donation from the next-of-kin of the deceased -- to be replaced by a system that presumes consent unless the deceased has specifically registered otherwise.

"Our present old-fashioned and creaking arrangements badly need to be brought up to date," Harris said.

A spokesperson for the U.K. Department of Health spokeswoman said the British government has drafted a new plan designed to increase donations.

"We will be considering comments made and the final version will be published in the autumn," the spokesperson said.