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There was an important omission from ‘Seven days in medicine: 20-26 May 2020’, which was the switch to an opt-out system of deemed consent for organ donation in England on May 20th [1]. This is a much-needed and long-anticipated change to improve organ donation rates. However, COVID-19 risks derailing the change.
The World Health Organisation reports that COVID-19 pandemic has already disrupted sustainable development goals [2], and previous pandemics have been associated with a negative impact on public health measures. For example, measles vaccination rates fell by around 20% during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone [3].
It was in the public interest that the change legislation was not to be delayed due to COVID-19. However, a systematic review of 35 countries demonstrated that a law change alone does not increase organ donation and can lead to decreased rates of organ donation. There needs to be a change in public opinions as well for the change to be successful [4].
We should not forget this great step forward, but recognise it is a difficult time to discuss donation due to the scale of the pandemic in England [5]. With a ‘new normal’ following the COVID-19 pandemic, we will need active discussion with the public about organ donation to ensure the success of the law. However, healthcare professionals and doctors will need to choose the right time for this and introduce it carefully.
1 Seven days in medicine: 20-26 May 2020. BMJ 2020;369. doi:10.1136/BMJ.M2074
2 Thornton J. Covid-19 pandemic has derailed progress on sustainable development goals, says WHO. BMJ 2020;369:m1969. doi:10.1136/bmj.m1969
3 UNICEF. UNICEF helps restart measles immunizations in Ebola-hit countries. 2015.https://www.unicef.org/media/media_78416.html (accessed 6 Jun 2020).
4 Arshad A, Anderson B, Sharif A. Comparison of organ donation and transplantation rates between opt-out and opt-in systems. Kidney Int 2019;95:1453–60. doi:10.1016/j.kint.2019.01.036
5 NHS. COVID-19 Daily Deaths. 2020.https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-da... (accessed 6 Jun 2020).
Competing interests:
MHVB is a trustee and chair of We Are Donors, a charity that
aims to educate and increase awareness about organ donation at school and university level. SL is a local committee member of We Are Donors. Both authors receive no monetary reimbursement for their roles.
Re: Seven days in medicine: 20-26 May 2020
There was an important omission from ‘Seven days in medicine: 20-26 May 2020’, which was the switch to an opt-out system of deemed consent for organ donation in England on May 20th [1]. This is a much-needed and long-anticipated change to improve organ donation rates. However, COVID-19 risks derailing the change.
The World Health Organisation reports that COVID-19 pandemic has already disrupted sustainable development goals [2], and previous pandemics have been associated with a negative impact on public health measures. For example, measles vaccination rates fell by around 20% during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone [3].
It was in the public interest that the change legislation was not to be delayed due to COVID-19. However, a systematic review of 35 countries demonstrated that a law change alone does not increase organ donation and can lead to decreased rates of organ donation. There needs to be a change in public opinions as well for the change to be successful [4].
We should not forget this great step forward, but recognise it is a difficult time to discuss donation due to the scale of the pandemic in England [5]. With a ‘new normal’ following the COVID-19 pandemic, we will need active discussion with the public about organ donation to ensure the success of the law. However, healthcare professionals and doctors will need to choose the right time for this and introduce it carefully.
1 Seven days in medicine: 20-26 May 2020. BMJ 2020;369. doi:10.1136/BMJ.M2074
2 Thornton J. Covid-19 pandemic has derailed progress on sustainable development goals, says WHO. BMJ 2020;369:m1969. doi:10.1136/bmj.m1969
3 UNICEF. UNICEF helps restart measles immunizations in Ebola-hit countries. 2015.https://www.unicef.org/media/media_78416.html (accessed 6 Jun 2020).
4 Arshad A, Anderson B, Sharif A. Comparison of organ donation and transplantation rates between opt-out and opt-in systems. Kidney Int 2019;95:1453–60. doi:10.1016/j.kint.2019.01.036
5 NHS. COVID-19 Daily Deaths. 2020.https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-da... (accessed 6 Jun 2020).
Competing interests: MHVB is a trustee and chair of We Are Donors, a charity that aims to educate and increase awareness about organ donation at school and university level. SL is a local committee member of We Are Donors. Both authors receive no monetary reimbursement for their roles.