§ Mr. Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons who were kidney donors in the past year were carrying, or in possession of, kidney donor cards.
§ Mrs. Currie[holding answer 3 May 1988]: This information is not available centrally. The total number of organ transplant operations carried out in 1987 (as notified to the United Kingdom transplant service) was 1,972, which was again a record. The total number of cards issued in 1987 was approx 5.5 million. The value of the organ donor card cannot be assessed solely by the extent to which it is found on donors. It has proved a useful publicity tool in making the general public aware of the need for organ donation. It also encourages those who would be willing to be donors to discuss their wishes with their relatives so that, even if a card is not found, they will be receptive to, or perhaps initiate, a suggestion that organs should be donated. We are currently emphasising this aspect of the card in our publicity.
Some 3 million cards have been issued in the first four months of 1988 and transplants appear to be approximately 57 per cent. higher than in the same period last year.