National Ethical Guidelines on Organ and Tissue Donation

The National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Health Ethics Committee has prepared National Ethical Guidelines on Organ and Tissue Donation.

Chief executive officer of the NHMR Council, Professor Warwick Anderson, said the guidelines would assist the health professionals in dealing with the ethical complexities associated with organ donation. These include the need to ensure that the autonomy and welfare of the donor takes precedence over the needs of the potential recipient, that both donors and recipients are fully informed about the potential risks, and that conflicts
of interest are avoided.

The NHMRC has engaged in extensive public consultation with community groups and health professionals as well as state and territory Governments in developing the guidelines.

Only 1% of people die in circumstances conducive to organ donation and it is important that clear ethical guidelines are followed so families are comfortable working with medical teams to ensure that the organ donation is successful.

Australia has one of the highest transplant success rates in the world and is a leader in organ transplant surgery but continues to have one of the lowest donation rates in the developed world.