{"id":23269,"date":"2023-02-20T12:22:06","date_gmt":"2023-02-20T12:22:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/?p=23269"},"modified":"2023-12-18T11:05:10","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T11:05:10","slug":"do-90-of-people-in-ni-support-organ-donation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/topics\/health\/do-90-of-people-in-ni-support-organ-donation\/","title":{"rendered":"Do 90% of people in NI support organ donation?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
On 14 February, Sinn F\u00e9in Vice President, Michelle O\u2019Neill stated<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Over 130 people are waiting for an organ. Ninety per cent of people in the North support organ donation, and every party in the Chamber supports that law”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ms O\u2019Neill was speaking as the Stormont Assembly was recalled in an effort to pass a new law on organ donation in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no strong evidence to substantiate this claim. Although almost 90% of responses to a public consultation on this issue indicated support for organ donation, public consultations are not necessarily reflective of public opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Organ and Tissue (Deemed Consent) Bill<\/a> – known as \u2018D\u00e1ith\u00ed\u2019s Law<\/a>\u2019 – was inspired by six-year-old D\u00e1ith\u00ed Mac Gabhann, who is currently awaiting a heart transplant. D\u00e1ith\u00ed’s Law was introduced<\/a> in the Assembly in 2021 and passed its final stage in February 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The law would mean everyone in Northern Ireland would be considered as a potential organ donor after their death unless they specifically stated otherwise, with some exceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those exceptions include: those under the age of 18, people who lack the mental capacity to understand the change in law, visitors to Northern Ireland, and temporary residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where does the 90% figure come from?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Current legislation means that individuals have to \u201copt in\u201d to organ and tissue donation by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register<\/a> and sharing the decision with family. The new proposals would mean all adults in Northern Ireland would be considered as a potential organ donor after their death, unless they specifically stated otherwise or \u201copted out\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A public consultation<\/a> on changing the system of consent for organ donation in Northern Ireland from \u201copt-in\u201d to \u201copt-out\u201d was announced by the then Minister of Health, Robin Swann MLA on 11 December 2020. The consultation ran until 19 February 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Question 9 of the consultation asked:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhich of the following statements best summarises how the introduction of opt-out legislation would influence your support for donation of a loved one\u2019s organs and\/ or tissues?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The report on the consultation indicated that there were 1885 responses to this question. Of these, 1706 – or 89.99% <\/strong>– selected the option: \u201cI currently support organ donation and would continue to do so\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This does not necessarily mean that 90% of the public supports organ donation. Public consultations are designed to gather the views of members of the public, but not necessarily in a way that reflects public opinion in general – unlike, for example, weighted polling that use representative samples. In some cases, public consultations in fact deliberately target specific, relevant groups to gather their views in particular.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n