British Transplantation Society calls for more organ donors

More needs to be done to raise awareness of the deficit of registered organ donors that exists in the UK, according to the British Transplantation Society.

A survey carried out by ICM on behalf of the organisation revealed that only three percent of adults would not accept an organ transplant, while 92 percent would not rule out donating their organs when they die.

Despite this, only 35 percent of those surveyed are on the NHS Organ Donor Register, while 60 percent said they had not seen any advertising or information about the Organ Donor Register in the last six months.

Professor Chris Watson, president of the British Transplantation Society and professor of transplantation at Cambridge University, said: "We are not blind to the fact that budgets are tight and spending cuts have to be made, but the human cost of doing nothing to address this lack of awareness is just too great."

This report coincided with World Kidney Day on March 14th, an event designed to raise awareness of the 6,193 people in the UK waiting for a suitable kidney to become available.

It was organised by the Kidney Alliance, an organisation whose members include bodies such as the British Kidney Patient Association, British Renal Society and Kidney Research UK.