Opt out organ donation – Wales continues to move first to save lives

www.optforlife.org

The Kidney Wales Foundation has welcomed today’s Legislative Statement by First Minister Carwyn Jones AM.

Roy J. Thomas Chairman of Kidney Wales Foundation said:

"The people of Wales should be in no doubt that a move to opt out will save lives. A recent study published in
the British Medical Journal showed that if it had been in place in the UK nearly 20,000 lives could have been
saved and transformed in the last decade.

International experience supports this change in the law. When Belgium introduced the soft opt out system
its national rate of organ donation rose by 55% within five years. Just 2% of the population have opted out
since it was introduced.

Patients in Wales will thank the Welsh Assembly for a vision for change and for taking a lead on opt out in the
UK. Wales will become the first part of the UK to properly address the real lack of organ donors and to move to
this system. Every eleven days that pass a person dies in Wales waiting for an organ. Nearly 500 patients are
currently waiting for a new life and transplant. It is a move in the right direction. We look forward to the rest of
the UK following the Welsh Assembly Government’s leadership."

ENDS

English and Welsh language case studies and spokespeople are available:

Notes to Editors

1. Kidney Wales has campaigned for a number of years to change the law in the UK. Under the favoured
Kidney Wales system of Soft Opt Out Welsh residents are presumed to be organ donors on death unless: