ITV News Index

ComRes interviewed the British public on behalf of ITV news.

Date Published: 13 Feb 2013

Categories: Economy | Health | Politics | Public and communities | UK

Description

COMRES/ ITV NEWS POLL: NATION SPLIT OVER ORGAN DONATION OPT-OUT


Today the latest Index poll conducted by ComRes and to be broadcast on ITV News reveals that the country is split down the middle over whether there should be a presumption of consent to organ donation.

Half the population (49%) believe that the family should always have the final say on whether or not their relative’s organs are donated. Two in five (38%) disagree and 13% aren’t sure.  Surprisingly, four in ten (38%) disagree that the family should always have the final say on such matters.

Men are more likely than women to agree that the family should always have the final say (52% versus 45% respectively). Similarly, nearly half of the public (47%) think that in the aftermath of a loved one’s death it should be assumed that the organs will be donated, unless the family have an objection. Two in five (40%) disagree.
 

The public are divided on whether organ donation should be through an opt-in or opt-out system, with older people more likely to argue for an opt-in system. 42% think that the law should presume that people have agreed to donate their organs unless they have expressly stated that they do not wish to do so. 44% think that the law should presume that people have not agreed to donate their organs unless they have expressly given consent.

Among those aged 65 and over, 50% think that the law should presume that people have not agreed to donate their organs unless they have expressly given consent, which is the highest proportion of any age group

Methodology: ComRes interviewed 2,055 British adults online from 8th to 10th February 2013.  Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults aged 18+.  ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.