XN000022-1993-11-17 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1993

BE

AN OPTING-OUT SYSTEM WOULD REQUIRE EVERYONE'S PARTICULARS TO RECORDED AND THEIR MOVEMENTS MONITORED. THE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE FOOL-PROOF TO ENSURE THAT THE RECORD OF SOMEONE WHO HAD OPTED OUT WAS NOT ACCIDENTALLY OR DELIBERATELY LOST AND HIS ORGANS REMOVED BY MISTAKE AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH. THE BURDEN OF PROOF WOULD BE THEN

ON THE NEXT OF KIN TO PROVE THAT THE DECEASED HAD IN FACT OBJECTED. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR GRAVE ABUSE.

THE CORNEA MAY BE REMOVED FROM PATIENTS WHO ARE STONE-COLD DEAD. HOWEVER, THE HEART, KIDNEYS, LIVER MAY BE REMOVED FROM A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BRAIN DEAD ALTHOUGH HIS HEART MAY STILL BE BEATING. WE ALL KNOW THAT MODERN TECHNOLOGY CAN SUSTAIN A PERSON'S BODILY FUNCTIONS FOR A LONG TIME WHEN HE IS IN A COMA. WITH AN OPTING-OUT SYSTEM, WHEN NO FURTHER PERMISSION NEEDS TO BE OBTAINED FROM NEXT OF

KIN, WHERE IS THE SAFEGUARD? WHAT ENSURES THAT DOCTORS WILL WAIT. UNTIL A PERSON REALLY IS DEAD BEYOND HOPE OF RECOVERY BEFORE HIS ORGANS ARE REMOVED? LET US REMEMBER THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS OFTEN BEEN ASKED FOR SAFEGUARDS ON ORGAN DONATION TO PREVENT ORGAN TRADING. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THE HUMAN ORGAN TRANSPLANT BILL NOW BEING STUDIED BY AN AD-HOC GROUP OF THIS COUNCIL.

DO HONG KONG PEOPLE REALLY WANT AN OPTING-OUT SYSTEM WHICH GIVES THE GOVERNMENT ABSOLUTE POWER? POWER TO CONTROL A PERSON'S FREEDOM AND PRIVACY WHEN HE IS ALIVE; POWER TO CONTROL HIS BODY AND ORGANS WHEN HE IS DEAD? I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT ANYONE IN HONG KONG WOULD LIKE TO THINK SO.

I SHARE THE CONCERN OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF SHORTAGE OF ORGANS. BEING A DOCTOR MYSELF, I AM ESPECIALLY AWARE OF THOSE PATIENTS WHOSE HOPES OF RECOVERY DEPEND ON THE AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE ORGANS. HOWEVER, SHORTAGE OF ORGANS FOR DONATION IS A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON. EVERY YEAR THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO NEED REPLACEMENTS FOR DISEASED OR DAMAGED ORGANS THAN THERE ARE ORGANS AVAILABLE. HENCE THERE IS NEED FOR A CONTINUING AND VIGOROUS PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN HONG KONG EMPHASISING THE BENEFITS OF ORGAN DONATION TO THOSE WHOSE LIVES DEPEND ON THEM.

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WE BELIEVE THAT ORGAN DONATION SHOULD BE BASED ON THE SPIRIT VOLUNTARISM. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY VARIOUS NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE HONG KONG EYE BANK AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE HONG KONG EYE FOUNDATION, THE HONG KONG KIDNEY FOUNDATION, THE HONG KONG HEART FOUNDATION AND THE HONG KONG LIVER FOUNDATION ARE ACTIVELY PROMOTING VOLUNTARY ORGAN DONATION UNDER THE EXISTING SCHEME. LAST YEAR'S MAJOR PUBLICITY AND HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN SUCCEEDED IN AROUSING COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR ORGAN DONATION, THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE HOMB MESSAGE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE PROMOTING THE NECESSITY FOR EVERYONE TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, SO AS TO AVOID THE ILLNESSES WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE NEED FOR TRANSPLANT.

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