Proposals for opt-out organ donation launched for England

The Department of Health has launched a consultation1 on how to implement an opt-out system of organ donation in England.

The move, which the government hopes will increase the number of organ donations, follows a pledge made by the prime minister Theresa May at the Conservative Party conference in October.2

The plans could lead to the law on organ donation being changed in England to presume consent unless people opt out. However, it is unlikely that organs would be taken against the wishes of the patient’s families.

But experts expressed concerns about the focus of the consultation, and urged …