MEPs tackle organ donor shortage

22nd April 2008

PLANS to tackle the shortage of organ donors by introducing an EU-wide donor card were today backed by Wales Euro-MPs Glenys Kinnock and Eluned Morgan.

The Labour MEPs are supporting a European Parliament report urging greater co-operation between EU countries to address the shortage of organ donors and crackdown on the illegal trade in the trafficking of organs.

Last year, 16 people from Wales died while waiting for an organ transplant, and there are currently 474 people in Wales on the waiting list.

As well as an EU donor card, MEPs also want a European transplant hotline to provide rapid, relevant and accurate information.

Speaking from Strasbourg, GLENYS KINNOCK said:

"Because not all EU countries currently use donor cards, an EU-wide system could bring real improvements. Rolled out across the EU, the system would access more donors and greatly speed donor matches.

"And, in improving access to donated organs, we would also strike a major blow for the trade in illegally trafficked organs."

ELUNED MORGAN added:

"Despite robust legislation in many parts of the world, the international black market in organs is now well-established, coaxing desperate people to far-flung countries in search of a kidney or another organ.

"We should not view organ trafficking as a distant crime. Several poorer European nations have also become embroiled in the transplant trade. European governments and institutions must do more to prevent the shameful trafficking of human organs."

Notes

• The full European Parliament report is available from
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A6-2008-0090+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN

• In the UK between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007:
o 3,086 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 1,495 donors
o 949 lives were saved through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart/lung, liver/kidney, liver/pancreas or heart/kidney transplant