Organ Accidents

A decade’s old computing error has resulted in 800,000 U.K. organ donor files being mistakenly recorded; organs have been harvested without permission or the wrong ones taken. “Donors can give permission for any of their organs to be taken, or provide more specific agreements. A glitch in the system more than a decade ago removed the distinctions expressed by people.

Many donors have strong views about what can be taken. Often consent is not given for eyes to be removed, while some people who agree to donate organs are uncomfortable with the idea of their body tissue being used in research. Joyce Robins, from the pressure group Patient Concern said: ‘This Government has got an absolutely dreadful record when it comes to data, but it is absolutely horrific that such sensitive details were handled in such a careless way.'”