Increasing Organ And Tissue Donation In Ontario

    McGuinty Government Moves Toward Affirmative Registration

    TORONTO, Dec. 1 /CNW/ -

    NEWS

    Ontario is introducing affirmative registration for organ and tissue
donation - a new way of providing consent that is expected to increase the
number of organ and tissue donors in the province.
    Under affirmative registration, only "yes" responses will be captured in
the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's database. If you do not choose to
donate or are undecided, your response will not be recorded in the database
and you should advise family members of your decision.
    By changing the way that organ and tissue donor decisions are recorded it
is anticipated that:-   more people will register their consent to donate
    -   Ontarians will feel assured that their choice to donate will be
        honoured
    -   the number of organs and tissue available for transplant will
        increaseEven if an individual has signed a donor card, they should register their
consent to ensure their donation decision is documented so that it can be made
known and be respected.

    QUOTES

    "This initiative is an important step toward increasing organ and tissue
donations and saving more lives," said Health and Long-Term Care Minister
David Caplan. "I'm urging all Ontarians to say 'yes' to donation when they
renew their health card."
    "The new affirmative registration means we now have the opportunity to
help many more Ontarians who are in need of an organ or tissue transplant,"
said Dr. Gary Levy, head of transplantation at the University Health Network.
"One organ and tissue donor can save up to eight lives and enhance as many as
75 more lives."
    "Consent decisions recorded in the ministry database will enable Trillium
Gift of Life Network to better support families by sharing their loved one's
donation decisions," said Frank Markel, President and CEO of Trillium Gift of
Life Network. "It eases the burden and provides grieving families comfort by
allowing for a clear statement of a loved one's wishes."

    QUICK FACTS-   More than 900,000 Ontarians each year have the opportunity to consent
        to organ and tissue donation when they renew their health cards.
    -   Currently, only 12.5 per cent of living Ontarians have given their
        consent to organ donation.

    LEARN MORE

    Download a Gift of Life Consent form
    (http://www.giftoflife.on.ca/donationform.pdf).

    Say 'Yes' to organ and tissue donation today - read more about how to
    donate
(http://www.giftoflife.on.ca/page.cfm?id=55684845-85D2-4B5B-A2B5-79E3CAE88EC0)

    For more information about organ and tissue donation please visit 
www.giftoflife.on.ca.

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For further information: For public inquiries call ServiceOntario,
INFOline at 1-866-532-3161 (Toll-free in Ontario only); Steve Erwin,
Minister's Office, [phone]; Andrew Morrison, Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care, [phone]