Organ Donors: No Give, No Take?

Organ Donation lobby group GiveLife NZ are currently seeking the views of the public on directed donation in preparation for the forthcoming Parliamentary review of the Human Tissue Act 1964.

Andy Tookey, promoter of GiveLife NZ wants to gauge if there is support in New Zealand for a system that if you are not prepared to be an organ donor and then need a transplant yourself you go below others on the waiting list who are prepared to be donors.

He is following closely the system that is gaining popularity in the US. “Their principle is quite easy” says Mr Tookey “If they change how they allocate organs they will get more organs to allocate.

Lifesharers, the donation lobby group in the US says they should allocate organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die. This will cause many more people to register as organ donors, and save many lives every year.

Is it fair? “This is why I am seeking public opinion” says Mr. Tookey “Is it fair to give an organ to someone who won’t donate their own, when there is a registered organ donor who needs it? “It’s like awarding the lottery jackpot to someone who didn’t buy a ticket.”

GiveLife NZ are already running an online petition on their website entitled “Your body, your choice” in preparation for the review.

GiveLife NZ can be contacted through their website: www.givelife.org.nz