Facts and Statistics on Organ and Tissue Donation

 

  • One organ and tissue donor can save up to 10 lives and improve the lives of many more. 1
  • 98% of Australians agree that organ and tissue donation has the potential to save and improve lives. 2
  • Australia is a world leader for successful transplant outcomes, yet has one of the world’s lowest donation rates.
  • Around 1700 people are on Australian organ transplant waiting lists. 3
  • On average, people on the transplant list can wait between 6 months and 4 years. 4
  • To lift donation rates the Australian Government, with State and Territory Governments, is implementing a national reform package, ‘A World’s Best Practice Approach to Organ and Tissue Donation for Transplantation’.
  • The initial focus for reform in 2009 involved reform of the hospital system in terms of identifying potential donors. To do this, the Australian Government funded over 150 dedicated doctors and nurses in 76 hospitals to work specifically on organ and tissue donation. These positions are now in place, as part of the national DonateLife Network which also includes a further 60 staff such as State Medical Directors, Organ Donor Coordinators and Donor Family Support specialists.
  • It is too early in the reform process to claim that the reforms are achieving sustained success, but the early signs are encouraging.
  • In 2009, 247 organ donors gave 799 Australians a new chance in life. 5
  • The number of organ donors for the first four months of 2010 is significantly higher than for the same four month period in any year in the past decade. 6
  • Complementing the significant progress made in the clinical sector, Australia needs more active engagement and awareness within the community to increase Australia’s family consent rate.
  • In Australia, the family’s consent to organ and tissue donation proceeding is always sought. The Australian Government’s national reform strategy includes actions to increase community engagement and awareness in relation to organ and tissue donation.
  • The majority of Australians (77%) are generally willing to become organ and tissue donors. 7
  • Australia’s family consent rate is low, with just 58% of families giving consent for organ and tissue donation to proceed. 8
  • The most important thing that helps a family’s decision is their knowing the wishes of their loved one.
  • 40% of Australians do not know the donation wishes of their loved ones. 9
  • The majority of Australians (93%) say they would uphold their loved one’s donation wishes of family members if they were aware of their wishes. 10
  • The majority of Australians (78%) recognise it is important to discuss their donation wishes with the people close to them. 11
  • Less than 1 in 5 Australians (17%) have had memorable discussions with their loved ones about their donation wishes. 12
  • The majority of Australians (83%) have either never discussed their donation wishes (37%), not really discussed their donation wishes (15%) or only had a brief discussion (31%). 13
  • Every family making the decision about whether to agree to a donation proceeding is now able to receive dedicated support from DonateLife Donor Family Support Coordinators, whether or not donation proceeds.
  • The quality of care for a potential donor at the end of his or her life, and the wishes of their family, is always the foremost consideration of those involved, and is never compromised by the potential for organ and tissue donation.

 

References

  1. Organ and Tissue Authority
  2. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research, for the Australian Organ and Tissue Authority, 2010
  3. Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry (www.anzdata.org.au/anzod)
  4. National Medical Director, Organ and Tissue Authority
  5. Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry
  6. Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry
  7. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research
  8. National Organ Donor Collaborative
  9. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research
  10. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research
  11. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research
  12. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research
  13. National Community Awareness Survey, Woolcott Research