Australians dying waiting for organ donors
Australia has one of the lowest organ donation rates in the world, with up to one-hundred people dying on waiting lists each year. In the past, seven different systems of organ donation have operated in Australia and today the states still vary in their approach to this sensitive issue. The CEO of Transplant Australia, Chris Thomas, admits it can be a confusing landscape for potential organ donors. Countries such as the United Kingdom have introduced an opt-out system, where everyone is automatically placed on the organ registry unless they specify that they don’t want to be on it. However this system doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone who has consented to organ donation will have their wishes carried out, as the family of the potential donor still has the final say.