Organ donor rate would have been even lower

Just weeks before Parliament's Health Select Committee is due to consider whether there should be a law change making organ donor's wishes legally binding, a report released this week reveals that New Zealand's low rate of just 29 organ donors last year Would have been much lower if doctors had not resorted to using older and diseased organs for transplant.

The Australia & New Zealand Organ Donor Registry this week released their report on organ donation for 2005.

The report reveals that in 1998 the median age of donors were 35.9, last year it was 48.6, though the largest number of donors were in the 55-64 age range.

There were no donors under the age of 17. There were 24 Caucasoid donors, 1 Indian, 1 Malaysian and 2 Korean donors. There were no Maori or Pacific Islander donors.

Of the recovered organs actually transplanted into others 7 Kidney’s, 3 Livers and 1 Heart came from donors with Hepatitis.

A further 4 Kidney’s, 2 hearts and 1 double lung came from donors who were diabetic.

1 donor had cancer.

31% of the donors were smokers at the time of their death.

Andy Tookey of organ donor lobby group GiveLife NZ said it was “bizarre that doctors were vehemently opposed to the proposed law change making donor’s wishes binding which could provide younger healthier organs.”

The Health Select Committee is currently asking for submissions on the proposed law change.

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