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Salmond’s move on organ donation fuels debate on ethical dilemma

First Minister Alex Salmond and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon have both indicated their support for presumed consent for organ donation at the SNP's annual conference.

Charities and patient organisations, while backing moves toward a system of presumed consent, caution it will have to be supported by additional resources and major awareness-raising campaigns. Ben McKendrick, policy and public affairs manager at the British Heart Foundation Scotland, said: "We do have to ensure that there is the appropriate level of resources being made if the Scottish government is to take this further.

That is a view backed by Dr Keith Prowse, chairman of the British Lung Foundation. Dr Jean Turner, former MSP and chief executive of the Scottish Patient Association, supports presumed consent, but points out that sufficient "checks and balances" have to be in place.

The Catholic Church is opposed to the move, arguing that the proposal undermines the freedom of the individual and human dignity.

Spokesman Peter Kearney said: "We believe anybody's body after death should always be treated with dignity and respect and organs only removed if someone had explicitly agreed, or their next of kin or someone with power of attorney has done so. Their bodies are inviolable and shouldn't be tampered with or organs removed without their explicit consent."

Full story at the Sunday Herald.