Petition · past parliament
Change the law in England to "opt out" for organ donations
Closed
3,073 signatures
What the petition asks
In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, your organs and tissue will only be used if you have given consent. Wales changed to "opt out" in 2015 and Scotland is considering it. England and NI rely on public awareness campaigns.
In the first six months after the law change, there was a 38% reduction in the number of people in Wales waiting for a transplant. Just 36% of people in the UK are now on the NHS Organ Donor Register, compared with 30% five years ago. According to a recent BBC article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40564329 457 people died last year while on the waiting list, as they did not get a donor organ in time. 875 people became too ill to undergo transplant surgery.
Timeline
| 13 Sep 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 13 Mar 2018 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
3,073
Status
Closed
Opened
13 Sep 2017
Closed
13 Mar 2018
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.