Proposals for a European organ donor card, to tackle record waiting lists for transplants, emerged yesterday after figures showed that ten people died every day while waiting for a transplant in Europe.

The proposals from the European Commission did not go far enough for the British Medical Association, which urged a system of presumed consent so that organs could be used from all potential donors unless an individual had opted out.

In Britain, where the waiting list for organs reached a record high of 7,234 at the end of March, nearly nine out of ten people believe that carrying a national donor card is a good idea, but only one in four people actually carries one. Britain also has one of the highest family refusal rates in the EU, with 42 per cent of relatives blocking organ removal, compared with 17 per cent in Spain, 29 per cent in Italy and 30 per cent in France.

Only the Greeks were more reluctant among 12 nations surveyed, with 46 per cent of relatives telling doctors not to remove organs for transplant.

John Oliver, of UK Transplant, the organisation that oversees organ donation, said: “Britain’s high relative refusal rate is the single biggest barrier to more lives being saved. Four out of ten people identified as suitable donors do not go on to donate because their relatives refuse. One of the main reasons is because the family, at a traumatic time, say they have never discussed it.”

Officials at the European Commission believe that a debate concerning an EU donor card would stimulate discussion in families so that people’s wishes were well known.

The BMA said: “We would welcome any attempt to create public debate about the problem of organ shortages but we would prefer to see an opt-out system or presumed consent as part of a package of measures to improve the success of organ donation.”

Research released by the EU yesterday showed a big gap between those in member states who thought that carrying a donor card was a good idea (81 per cent) and those who carried a card.

The Commission published its plans as a dispute intensified over a Dutch television programme, due to be broadcast tomorrow, in which a terminally ill patient will choose which of three people will receive her kidneys when she dies.

Research showed that the Dutch were the most likely to carry organ donor cards. A total of 44 per cent carried their national card, compared with 26 per cent in Britain and an EU average of 12 per cent. Nobody in Hungary was found by researchers to be carrying a donor card.

Markos Kyprianou, the EU Health Commissioner, will also discuss with member states whether a symbol showing an individual’s willingness to donate organs should be included on the European health card – the card necessary for free treatment across the union.

“With eight out of ten Europeans favouring organ donor cards but only one in ten actually carrying one, there is clearly huge potential to increase the availability of organs for donation,” Mr Kyprianou said.

Family refusal

46% Greece

42% United Kingdom

30% France

29% Italy

21% Estonia

19% Latvia

17% Slovakia; Spain

9% Hungary; Poland

Source: European Commission; Council of Europe

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