Families of people who have donated organs or tissue to others will be able to share stories of their loved ones' generosity with peace of mind following the commencement of legislative changes passed by the Malinauskas Government recently.
Changes to the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1983 provide legal clarity to allow families to speak publicly about their experiences and to remember and honour their loved one.
Prior to the change, some families considered they may have felt the law prevented them from sharing information about their deceased family member's donation or transplant.
The legislation continues to protect the right of donors, transplant recipients and families to remain anonymous.
The bill was drafted following community consultation, with more than 80 submissions received and strong support for clarity about sharing information publicly.
The amendments confirm that families of deceased donors are not restricted in speaking publicly or sharing information about their loved one's donation. It will also apply to families of recipients who received a transplant during their lifetime, but who have subsequently died.
Restrictions on the disclosure of information about donors and recipients continue to apply to health professionals and others involved in donation and transplant.
If you would like more information about organ and tissue donation, please visit the DonateLife website. For donor family support, please contact DonateLife South Australia.
As put by Chris Picton
We acknowledge all generous donors, and their families who support organ and tissue donation.
I want to thank families who have chosen to raise community awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Their stories continue to contribute to saving the lives of others by encouraging registration for organ donation.
We know that sharing these stories encourages other people to register as organ donors and become potential future life savers.
As put by Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier
The feedback we received from the community helped confirm that this was a sensible and compassionate change to make.
This change gives peace of mind to families that they will not be at risk of breaching the legislation by sharing their own stories.
