Northern Ireland introduces opt-out of organ donation 'Dáithí's Law'

Dáithí's dad, Máirtín MacGabhann.

New organ donation legislation known as Dáithí's Law, which changes the way consent is granted, has came into effect in Northern Ireland on Thursday

The Organ and Tissue Donation (Deemed Consent) legislation puts an 'opt out' approach to organ donation, which means all adults are considered organ donors unless they state otherwise.

The move is set to increase the current number of organ donors available to people in need of a transplant. It has been named in honour of campaigning six-year-old Dáithí MacGabhann.

Who is Dáithí MacGabhann?

Dáithí Mac Gabhann Dáithí was born in 2016 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

This means the left side of his heart did not form correctly, leaving him in need of a transplant.

Dáithí has been on the NHS waiting list for a heart transplant since 2018 and since then his family, including his dad Máirtín MacGabhann and mum Seph Ni Mheallain have campaigned for the opt-out policy to be adopted as a way to help people who are in a similar position.What exactly does the new law mean?

The Department of Health says the intent of the new legislation is to increase the current number of organs available to people in need of a transplant.

Before the law, if you wanted to be an organ donor after you died you had to sign up to the Organ Donor Register.

However, with Daithi's law, every adult in Northern Ireland will now be considered an organ donor, unless they state specifically that they do not want to be, but there are exceptions.

Excluded groups include:

- Those under the age of 18 - People who lack the mental capacity to understand the change in law - Visitors to Northern Ireland - Temporary residents of Northern Ireland

The organ donor register gives people the choice to opt-in, opt-out, withdraw, or to change their decision whenever they want.

If people do not wish to be considered as an organ donor after their death they should record a decision to opt-out, preferably on the NHS organ donor register.

Importantly, the family will continue to be consulted before your organs are donated.

The public are being urged to talk to loved ones about their decision, so they are aware and have no doubts as to what to do in the even of your death.

Likewise, people can still opt-in to the Organ Donor Register as a way of reinforcing their decision.

Additionally people who decide to opt-in are able to specify which organs and tissues they want to donate after death.

Although under 18s are excluded from the opt-out system children aged 14 and up can sign the NHS register, while parents/guardians can register their children before the age of 14.

What Organs can be donated?

According to the Department of Health the follow organs can be donated:

Heart – for conditions such as heart disease, sometimes medicine or conventional surgeries no longer work and a transplant can be the only option

Lungs – many patients needing a transplant have chronic infection of the lungs from cystic fibrosis and other conditions such as bronchiectasis

Kidney – when kidneys fail, people suffer tiredness, swelling, breathlessness, anaemia, anxiety and nausea, a kidney transplant frees patients from the burden of dialysis

Liver – transplantation is usually done either to treat the symptoms of a disease such as primary biliary cirrhosis, or to save the life of a patient dying from liver failure

Pancreas – a pancreas transplant is the only treatment which restores insulin independence for people with Type 1 diabetes and can prevent, or slow, diabetic complications like blindness or kidney failure

Small bowel – small bowel transplantation is a treatment for both adults and children with intestinal failure, helping them to avoid life-threatening infections and other complications

Tissue – this can include heart valves and parts of the eye, such as the corneas and sclera, and can save the lives of children born with malformed hearts or help to restore sight for people with eye disease or injuries.

People can also making an organ donation while they are still alive.

The most popular living donation is a Kidney, as most people are able to survive on one.

It is also possible to remove part of the Liver.

However, The NHS organ donor register is only for those who wish to donate after death.

To be a living donor, participants need to a transplant centre directly.

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