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Acting SFH on organ donation
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     Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Acting Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a public function today (May 13):

Reporter: For the recent (increase in the number of) people who want to cancel their registration in organ donation, do you think this situation is actually quite worrying? Do you think the medical blunder is actually affecting the confidence for the whole thing?

Acting Secretary for Food and Health: Yes, we have noticed that recently there has been an increase in the cancellation on the Centralised Organ Donation Register. The number of those who have signed (the register) and decided to cancel (their registration) has increased a bit. Therefore, we want to appeal to the public not to do that. While this may be related to the United Christian Hospital (UCH)'s incident on the organ transplant patient, there is already investigation going on at the Hospital Authority (HA) level about the UCH's incident as well as the whole mechanism of reporting blunders. Therefore, we hope the society and every one would separate the two issues and continue to support organ donation as there are over 2 000 patients waiting for organ (transplant) every day.

Reporter: (On whether there is a need to clear public misconception before conducting consultation)

Acting Secretary for Food and Health: On one hand, we are sad about the UCH's incident. On the other hand, I think Hong Kong people are rational. Therefore, the two things should be separated. Regarding the consultation, we are now preparing a consultation on an opt-out (system) and the (minimum) age for people to donate organs as well as cross donation as suggested by the HA. We are now looking at whether we should have the three issues coming together in one consultation or whether we are going to separate them. In the next month or so, we will start the consultation. 

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
 
Ends/Saturday, May 13, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:39
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