New MLRC Report on Presumed Consent Organ and Tissue Donation

The Commission has released its final report on Presumed Consent Organ and Tissue Donation.

Under Manitoba’s current organ and tissue donation legislation, individuals cannot be after-death organ or tissue donors without express consent. Recent changes to legislation in other jurisdictions have shifted towards opt-out organ donation, moving from an express consent to a presumed consent system.

Manitoba is also considering making this shift, and the report makes 19 recommendations about giving consent and refusal of organ and tissue donation under a presumed consent framework. The recommendations also cover exceptions to presumed consent and the role of proxies who consent or refuse on someone else’s behalf.

For more information on the Commission visit the MLRC site.