MP urges constituents to have their say on organ donation

Edinburgh North & Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz is calling on local people to make their views known on organ donation.

Mr Lazarowicz attended a public consultation in Leith on Labour MSP Anne McTaggart’s draft Bill in the Scottish Parliament which would introduce a new opt-out system of organ donation in Scotland, and he is now urging constituents to contribute to the consultation on the Bill which lasts until 25th September.

Under the Bill, in the event of someone’s death it would be presumed that the person consented to the use of their organs for transplant unless they had expressly stated otherwise or their family knew of an objection.

Mark Lazarowicz said: “I congratulate Anne McTaggart on her initiative and and I urge people in Edinburgh North and Leith to contribute their views to the consultation so that it can be properly debated and achieve its purpose in giving more people the chance of an organ transplant.

“Under the current opt-in system around 40% of Scots are on the organ donor register and this sign of quiet concern for others is something to be proud of – but that still leaves well over 600 people anxiously waiting for a transplant each year.”

Details of the Bill and public consultation including how to contribute can be found at

http://www.annemctaggart.co.uk/organ-donation-bill-consultation-launched

Last year the Welsh Government introduced a Bill to introduce an opt-out system which became law with the new system to become operational from 1st December 2015. It was influenced by evidence that suggested that an opt-out system could increase the number of organ donors by 25 – 30%.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland, the British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland and the British Liver Trust have all called for Scotland to follow suit.