Review of organ donation for non-UK residents

To help ensure public confidence in the fairness and transparency of the organ allocation system in the UK, Elisabeth Buggins, the chair of the former Organ Donation Taskforce, has been asked to examine current policy and practice. The review will provide clarity to the transplant community and enable individual transplant centres to review or agree their policies in relation to this area of healthcare, and ensure that the needs of UK patients are met within the framework of European law. Alan Johnson said: “We are aware that some people resident in other countries within the European Union needing transplants are being referred to the UK. This led to accusations of priority being given to non-UK patients. We want to optimise the availability of organs for transplant for NHS patients and ensure public confidence.” According to figures released in January, 795 organ and tissue transplants were performed on non-UK patients over the past 10 years. They included 674 liver, 47 kidney and 57 cornea operations (source: The BBC). Earlier this year, the UK’s national press also reported that the organs of 50 National Health Service donors were given to foreign patients who had paid approximately £75,000 each for private transplant operations, over a two-year period (source: The Telegraph). Professor Peter Friend, president of the British Transplantation Society, commented: “While there is a surfeit of UK residents awaiting transplant it is correct that these patients should have priority,” he said. “Were the situation such that there were organs that were not required, it would be appropriate to make them available to other nationals. We do not have a European organ donation system; it is a UK system and I therefore believe the system should be essentially for the benefit of residents in the UK.”