Dr Ajay Kumar has been researching the possibility of introducing presumed consent – where individuals are deemed to have consented to donation upon death unless they had previously specified otherwise – for more than a decade and had originally supported the idea regardless of what the UK policy was.
However, after examining the complexities and legislation required, Dr Kumar – whose comments come just days after the Welsh Assembly overwhelmingly backed introducing an opt-out system in Wales – now believes that the Island should wait until the UK adopts such a system which Jersey can then mirror.
In the meantime, and with the number of people needing transplants increasing every year because of advances in science and people living longer, Dr Kumar has urged Islanders to consider joining the NHS Organ Donor Register.
