As the National Assembly looks at ways to improve Quebec’s performance in organ donation and transplantation, a new survey reveals that nearly 80% of Quebecers are in favor of adopting a law to succeed.
According to the general director of Transplant Québec, Martine Bouchard, this demonstrates “the significant support of the Quebec population” for the adoption of such a law and this result echoes the needs on the ground.
“And that gives parliamentarians free rein to continue the work that has been started and to quickly proceed with the adoption of a law,” declared M.me Bouchard.
She argued that Quebec is one of the only Canadian provinces that does not have a law on organ donation and transplantation.
The director stressed that “if we want to save more lives,” the province must have a single organization that oversees the entire organ and tissue donation process. “And that necessarily requires a law,” she said. We say it with a lot of affirmations because we compare ourselves with organizations or countries that have done it and it is a direct correlation. »
The director of Transplant Québec did not comment on whether the organization responsible for the entire organ donation chain should report to Santé Québec or be independent.
She believes that because of its expertise in coordinating organ donation, Transplant Québec would have the capacity to be designated as the project manager. “We are an NPO so currently we do not find ourselves at all in the organization chart (of the ministry), specifies Mme Bouchard. But we think that having a status where we are on a dotted line like INESS and INSPQ with the Ministry of Health would be favorable. »
Presumed consent
Quebec is currently studying presumed consent, that is to say giving donor status to a deceased patient, unless proven otherwise, rather than requiring proof of consent.
During a parliamentary committee at the start of the year, elected officials heard numerous experts comment on the issue. Several of them warned that presumed consent alone would not guarantee an increase in the number of transplants.
The results of the Léger poll show that the population is divided on the issue while 45% are in favor of implementing presumed consent.
According to Mme Bouchard, there must be more awareness among the population so that they better understand what presumed consent entails, in particular that people will always have the possibility of expressing their refusal. “What we said throughout the parliamentary commission is that there must be discussions with the population and this survey confirms that there are still discussions to be had,” she said. underlines.
On the other hand, all the experts heard by the parliamentarians in committee affirmed that it was necessary to create a single platform accessible 24/7 to consent to organ donation or to refuse it.
Currently, there are three ways to make your intentions known regarding organ donation in Quebec: through the health insurance card, the Régie de l’assurance santé du Québec (RAMQ) and the Chambre des notaires.
The results of the survey show that 41% of Quebecers want a one-stop shop to make known their consent to organ donation.
“I’m not sure people are happy with the current options,” says M.me Bouchard who mentions that registering in the RAMQ register is an obstacle course.
She puts forward the hypothesis that the public perhaps does not fully understand the notion of a one-stop shop, which would be a place where anyone can express their consent or refusal, which would simplify the task for citizens, but also for professionals. who currently have to consult several registers to validate a person’s wishes.
The survey results also show that almost one in two people (47%) believe that more information, awareness and promotion activities should be developed on the subject of organ donation.
The Léger firm survey in which 1,000 Quebecers participated was commissioned by Transplant Québec on the eve of National Organ and Tissue Donation Week which will be held from April 21 to 27.
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reference: www.lapresse.ca