Minister for Health launches Organ Donor Awareness Week 2024

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has today launched Organ Donor Awareness Week 2024.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Donnelly said:

"I want to thank all of those involved: the transplant centres, organ donation nurse managers, ICU staff, Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland and all of those who have worked to raise awareness. The 265 transplants which took place in 2023 were made possible through your dedication, compassion, and excellence."

Minister Donnelly reaffirmed his commitment to further developing the organ donation and transplant system in Ireland. He noted the significant legislative progress made with the enactment of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 in February this year.

Minister Donnelly said:

"The Act will introduce "deemed consent", presumed consent for competent adults with the option for people to opt-out if they would prefer not to donate. The Act will also expand pathways for living and altruistic organ donations. This will all help increase the donor pool in Ireland, while always fully respecting the wishes of people and their families."

The importance of sharing your organ donation wishes with your loved ones remains very important. Speaking to this year's theme for Organ Donation Awareness Week, Don't Leave Your Loved Ones in Doubt, Minister Donnelly said:

"Families will always be consulted before donation takes place. By sharing our wishes regarding organ donation with our loved ones, we ensure that our choices are honoured and respected, even in our absence. While talking about organ donation can be uncomfortable, its importance cannot be overstated.

"Each decision to donate organs is a precious gift, offering hope and a second chance at life for those in need.

"It is important to take the space granted to us by events such as Organ Donor Awareness Week to acknowledge how critical organ donation is in terms of enhancing the quality of life of a patient. That is why this event takes place every year - to raise this awareness and in so doing hopefully encourage more people to become organ donors themselves."

Notes

Organ Donor Awareness Week 2024

Organ Donor Awareness Week 2024 will take place Saturday 20 to Saturday 27 April and is organised by the Irish Kidney Association in association with the HSE's Organ Donation Transplant Ireland.

This year's Organ Donor Awareness Week campaign is built around the theme 'Don't Leave Your Loved Ones in Doubt!' #LeaveNoDoubt.

The key message for the week is to encourage people to speak to their loved ones about organ donation and to let them know what your wishes are should you pass away. Sharing your wishes when you are in good health makes it a less stressful decision for your family in the event of them being approached about you being a potential organ donor.

For further information on Organ Donor Awareness Week, contact Gwen O'Donoghue - 086 824 1447 / [email protected]

Supports for Organ Donation and Transplantation Services

Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024

The Act has been drafted to provide:

• general conditions for the removal, donation and use of organs and tissue from deceased and living persons for transplantation
• regulations for both non-coronial and coronial post-mortem examinations in hospital and non-hospital settings
• general conditions and regulations for anatomical examination
• general conditions and regulations for public display of bodies after death

The Act introduces a new statutory requirement for consent across all of these activities as well as safeguards to protect the integrity of the human body before and after death and to prevent any organ retention without consent in the future.

The Act introduces a soft opt-out system of consent for organ donation. Under this system, consent for organ donation will be deemed unless the person has, while alive, registered their wish not to become an organ donor after death. This is a change from the current system where decisions about organ donation are the responsibility of the next-of-kin and assumes that an individual has a desire to donate their organs after their death unless they make a statement of objection to donation.

Although the wishes of the deceased should be central to any decision, families will continue to be consulted as part of a safe and respectful organ donation process.

The Act further provides a framework for the donation of organs, tissues and cells from living donors including the introduction of a legislative basis for non-directed altruistic living donation. This is donation by living donors to the transplant system, not a specific person, where donations can be assigned to patients identified by clinical staff.

It is anticipated that these measures will help increase the donor pool in Ireland and will encourage organ donation to save lives in circumstances where this is possible.

Additional funding of €1.6 million for 2024

To support and maximise the outputs from progressing this Programme for Government commitment, the Minister for Health announced an additional €1.6 million of new development funding for services through Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland.

This funding will support the implementation of the early phases of the 2024-2026 Organ Donation Transplant Ireland's Strategic Plan, with the goal of:

• increasing organ availability for transplantation
• reducing the existing transplant waiting list of 618 people
• funding the expansion of the National Potential Donor Audit
• promoting organ donation through the implementation of the Human Tissue Act