Bulgarians Lag Behind EU Partners in Organ Donations

Spanish donors of organs (34 per million people) almost double the European Union average (18), contrasting with the opposite end of the scale, Bulgaria - one per million. Photo by sxc.hu

Bulgarians currently donate less organs than any other Europeans it became clear after a Madrid conference on the issue was held Wednesday.

Spanish donors of organs (34 per million people) almost double the European Union average (18), contrasting with the opposite end of the scale, Bulgaria - one per million, euronews reported.

The conference was held at a time when a new European Union law on organ transplants is nearing approval. It will be accompanied by an action plan to increase organ donations throughout the EU.

Jo Leinen, chairman of the European Parliament’s Commitee on Health, Food Safety and the Environment, said: “At the moment, there are 56 000 patients waiting for a suitable organ donor in the EU, and it’s estimated that every day 12 people die while waiting for an organ transplant.”

The EU directive on “free and voluntary” organ donation could be approved by the European Parliament as early as May. Another of the directive’s aims is to fight organ trafficking and “transplant tourism”.

 

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