WARRINGTON South MP Faisal Rashid has given his support to a campaign to change the law on organ donation in England.
Under current rules donors, or their families, must declare whether they would be happy for their organs to be given to someone else in the event of their death. But the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill, which was introduced by Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson, would change the current system so that people would instead have to declare that they are not happy with being donors.
This proposed new law would bring England into line with Wales which already has an opt-out system for consent.
Up to 500 lives could be saved every year by adopting the new system.
On February 23 the Bill received its Second Reading in Parliament and was supported by both the Government and a cross-party collection of MPs.
Faisal said: “Currently there are around 6,500 people from across the UK are waiting for an organ transplant and I sympathise profoundly with anyone who is affected.
“I fully support the move to an opt-out system of organ donation in England. Transplants save lives and improve quality of life.
“I am delighted that my Labour colleague Geoffrey Robinson MP’s life-changing Bill received cross-party support at its Second Reading in Parliament. This Bill will help transform and save lives, whilst still allowing people the opportunity to opt out, which protects freedom of choice.”
