Under secretary for health Sophia Chan says an opt-out scheme for organ donation could be introduced. Photo: RTHK
A committee looking at how to boost Hong Kong’s relatively low organ donation rate says it will study whether an opt-out system could be introduced in the territory.
The controversial suggestion would mean people will be presumed to have consented to allow others to have their organs after death, unless they have specifically stated otherwise.
Under secretary for health Sophia Chan, who heads the Committee on Promotion of Organ Donation, said they would gauge public opinion before submitting any proposals to the government. However, she didn’t specify a timetable.
The government says organs from deceased donors were used 129 times in the territory in 2015. But by the end of the year, more than 2,400 patients were on the waiting list for a transplant.
A recent survey found that only a small portion of people who say they back the idea of donating their organs had actually registered to do so.
Chan said public hospitals should review whether they have enough resources in case the committee’s efforts do indeed lead to a surge in the number of donors.
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1264291-20160604.htm
