Indian Transplant Newsletter Vol. VII Issue NO.: 22/23 (Feb-Jun 2006)
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568

New Zealand Parliament to debate Organ Donor Veto Bill

Indian Transplant Newsletter.
Vol. VII Issue NO.: 22/23 (Feb-Jun 2006)
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568
Print PDF


In an attempt to address the low organ donor rates in New Zeland, National Party MP, Dr. Jackie Blue, collaborated with Andy Tookey from organ donor reform group, GiveLife NZ, in drafting a bill called  The Human Tissue (organ donation) Amendment Bill 2006. The bill was drawn out of the parliamentary ballot in March 2006, just three weeks after it was submitted.

The bill, if it passes through parliament, would prevent anyone from vetoing the wishes of any person who, whilst in sane mind elected to be an organ donor. The current system of recording details on licences is only an indicator of a person’s wishes. It is not legally binding, and family members can veto the decision.

The bill will use an informed consent ‘opt on’ database, where donors will be able to nominate organs they wish to donate. People who have previously indicated on their driver licence a desire to donate organs would be invited to go on to the databse, which would be managed by the Ministry of Health. There is also provision for a public education programme about organ donation.

New Zealand’s current organ donor statistics are low with just 29 donors for 2005. Also since only a limited number of ICU beds are available in New zeland, this in turn affects the number of organ donors.


To cite : Shroff S, Navin S. New Zealand Parliament to debate Organ Donor Veto Bill. Indian Transplant Newsletter Vol. VII Issue NO.: 22/23 (Feb-Jun 2006).
Available at:
https://www.itnnews.co.in/indian-transplant-newsletter/issue22/23/New-Zealand-Parliament-to-debate-Organ-Donor-Veto-Bill-691.htm

  • Copyright © 2024. Published by MOHAN Foundation