Welsh Christian leaders join in opposition to 'presumed consent' for organ donation

January 23, 2012

Christian leaders in Wales have united in a call for the government to reconsider plans to presume that all individuals have consented to be organ donors unless they have specifically stated otherwise. Leaders of the Church of Wales and the Wales Orthodox Mission joined Catholic Archbishop George Stack of Cardiff, who had earlier protested the government’s plans. Archbishop Stack had said that an organ donation should always be seen as “a gift to others and not as a duty.” The joint statement sounded a similar note:

Our main concern is that the positive ethos of donation as a free gift is being endangered by an ill-judged if well-intentioned proposal to move from voluntary donation to presumed consent.

 

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Further information:

• Organ donation: Church leaders in Wales attack presumed consent (BBC)
• Welsh archbishop opposes 'presumed consent' policy for organ donation (CWN, 1/2)