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• Australian Donor Register Consents

The Australian Donor Register

The current number of australians who have registered their consent to donating organs and/or tissue for transplantation is:

888,668

This is approximately 5% of the available current population.

The Australian Organ Donor Register is administered by Medicare Australia on behalf of the Australian Government and provides a simple way for people to record their consent (or objection) to becoming an organ and/or tissue donor.

In January 2005, Australian Health Ministers agreed that the Australian Organ Donor Register would become a register of consent, enabling individuals to record their legal decision to becoming an organ or tissue donor after death. The Register will be operational as a consent register from July 2005.

Health Ministers agreed that the Australian Organ Donor Register would be the only national register for organ and/or tissue donation.

The Australian Organ Donor Register will ensure that your consent (or objection) to donating organs and/or tissue for transplantation can be verified 24 hours a day, seven days a week by authorised medical personnel, anywhere in Australia. In the event of your death, information about your decision will be accessed from the Donor Register, and provided to your family. It is important that you talk with your family before registering your decision.

THINK, TALK, TELL your family about your decision to become an organ and or tissue donor

Registrations received online will be recorded as an intent registration. After registering your intent, you will receive a confirmation / consent letter to obtain your signature supporting legal consent (or objection) to organ and/or tissue donation for transplantation. When Medicare Australia receives your signed confirmation / consent letter, your intent registration will be converted to a consent registration.

Registrations received from people under the age of 16 years will not be recorded on the Donor Register.

Only persons who are aged 18 years or over can register consent (or objection) on the Donor Register. Your signature will be required to record your legal consent (or objection) to organ and/or tissue donation for transplantation. If you register online, a form will be mailed to you to obtain your signature. Alternatively, you can download the form from Medicare, complete and return to: Reply Paid 711, Hobart TAS 7001.