Have your say on opt-out organ donations

SIR,

The Welsh Assembly Government are consulting on a White Paper entitled 'Proposals for Legislation on Organ and Tissue Donation' (number WG13956).

The consultation ends on 31st January see http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/healthsocialcare/organ/">http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/healthsocialcare/organ/

If the White Paper becomes law then the organs and tissues of suitable Welsh adults could be taken without their consent after death in Welsh hospitals unless they have opted-out but the mechanism for opting-out has not been defined.

I am a registered medical practitioner living in Wales and I am opposed to this opt-out system because it fails to respect an individual's right to autonomy over their body.

I urge all Welsh residents to look at the consultation document and to send your comments to the Welsh Assembly Government.

If you disagree with me then you will be content to have these collections taken posthumously.

If enough people oppose the proposals then the Government might be worried that donations will reduce and they might take more ethical and constructive actions to encourage us to donate by improving the current, voluntary opt-in system.

Dr Iain J Robbé

(Grosmont)