EU Transplant hope for South West Patients

5.49.15pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 30th May 2007

A new EU-wide organ donor scheme could raise public awareness and bring hope for patients in the South West waiting for a transplant operation.

The idea was announced today (Wednesday 30 May) by EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou as a way to increase the number of organs available for transplant operations.

Around 40,000 patients are on EU waiting lists for a transplant, and it is thought that 10 people a day die waiting in vain for a donor organ.

The European Commission is drawing up guidelines to control the supply of surplus organs to countries in need. It also proposes creating organ transplant co-ordinators in hospitals and making better use of living donors.

Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West and Gibraltar Graham Watson has welcomed the announcement. He said:

"This is the best instance of the EU not only getting greater value but also giving the chance of life itself. At a time of grief this is an opportunity for people throughout the EU to give hope to others in whatever country they may be in."

"We already have an EU-wide scheme in place for the movement of blood plasma which ensures the same high standards across the EU."

An opinion poll published this week found that 81% of EU citizens support the use of organ donor cards - but only 12% actually carry one.

It also found that 56% of Europeans are willing to donate one of their organs after they die.

To sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register go to:

http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/how_to_become_a_donor/registration/consent.jsp

The results of the EU Organ Donation survey can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_publication/eurobarometers_en.htm