New Australian Federal Organ and Tissue Donation Legislation: Enhanced Transplant Services But No "Opt-Out"

Seriously ill people who could achieve many years of high-quality life with organ donation continue to die on waiting lists due to the scarcity of donated organs. Recent advances that suggest donor organs can be coated with host stem cells to reduce or remove the need for long-term recipient immunosupressive medication highlight the importance of encouraging such donation. A wide variation in organ donor rates in developed nations suggests this is one issue in which the right regulation can make a difference. Australia has now passed federal legislation on the topic. This column considers whether that legislation is headed in the right direction,