Organ donation and transplantation streamlined in new national system Patient/donor registries and $35 million in new funding will save lives
Ottawa, August 12, 2008 -- Federal, provincial and territorial ministries of health announced today a combined investment of $35 million over the next five years to create an integrated national system to significantly improve organ donation and transplantation in Canada.
Under the new funding arrangement, the Canadian Council for Donation and Transplantation (CCDT) has merged with Canadian Blood Services, which has expanded its mandate and operations beyond blood services and into organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
Provinces and territories, except Québec, will provide half the total funding, and jurisdictions will collaborate with Canadian Blood Services in the creation of three priority national registries to more quickly match patients and donors across Canada.
"National and provincial registries are critical tools for clinicians and patients. These investments mean we will be able to offer hope and save more lives," said Alberta Minister of Health and Wellness Ron Liepert, on behalf of the provinces and territories.
"Health Canada is pleased to have financially supported the excellent work of the CCDT over the last six years. This work has served to identify key priorities and solutions for improving the coordination of organ and tissue donation and transplantation across Canada, and to bring us to this new juncture," said Tony Clement, Federal Minister of Health.
Health Canada's support to Canadian Blood Services ($3.58 million per year for five years) is targeted for public education and awareness, support for leading clinical practices and system performance improvement, and the development of a strategic plan.
"Canadian Blood Services takes seriously our new responsibilities for donation and transplantation in Canada, and will work closely with organ and tissue stakeholders in moving the work of the CCDT to action," said Dr. Graham Sher, Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Blood Services.
Ministers of health strongly encourage all Canadians to consider organ and tissue donation and discuss their wishes with family. Canadians from diverse communities can make the life saving choice to become organ donors.
About Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec and oversees the country's OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network. A dedicated team of about 4,600 staff and 17,000 volunteers enable us to operate 41 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. Canadian Blood Services is a non-governmental organization, however the Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health provide operational funding, and the federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.blood.ca
Media inquiries may be directed to:
Lindy McIntyre
Acting Director Media Relations and External Communications
Tel: 613 739 2044
Cel: 306.540.6057
Email: lindy.mcintyre@blood.ca
Backgrounder
The Need
Canada, like other developed countries, is unable to keep pace with the demand for organs. 4,195 Canadians were on wait-lists for organ transplants on December 31, 2007. In the same year, 193 Canadians died waiting for an organ transplant.
While provincial organ procurement organizations and transplant programs continue to make concerted efforts, donation opportunities are missed and there is an urgent need for national patient registries to improve organ availability and usage.
| Canadian Statistics for Donation and Transplantation |
2007 |
| Patients waiting for a transplant |
4195 |
| Patients who died while waiting |
193 |
| Neurological determination of death (NDD) referrals |
1526 |
| NDD potential |
528 |
| NDD procured |
471 |
| Donation after cardiocirculatory death (DCD) potential |
24 |
| DCD procured |
22 |
| Transplants - Total |
2188 |
| Transplants (NDD) |
1580 |
| Transplants (DCD) |
59 |
| Transplants (living related) |
413 |
| Transplant (living unrelated) |
136 |
| Organs exported to US |
11 |
| Organs imported from US |
42 |
Data are subject to change based on future data submissions or corrections and may vary from previously published reports. From: Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canadian Organ Replacement Register (www.cihi.ca)
History of the agencies
With the end of the mandate for the Canadian Council for Donation and Transplantation (CCDT) in view, Canadian Blood Services was asked by the Conference of F/P/T Deputy Ministers of Health, in the fall of 2007, to develop a proposal for assuming and extending the functions of the CCDT. Canadian Blood Services conducted consultations with experts across the country to understand the environment and needs of stakeholders.
The initiative has subsequently been supported by the CCDT Board, the Canadian Blood Services Board, and federal, provincial and territorial ministers of health. Québec, having its own organizations responsible for blood services and organ and tissue donation and transplantation, Héma-Québec and Québec Transplant, does not fund nor participate in this new initiative, but will continue to work in collaboration with Canadian Blood Services.
Next steps
Canadian Blood Services will take a phased approach in providing nationally integrated donor registries and other services, which will include the priority implementation of a living organ donor registry and the development of a strategic plan based on stakeholder consultations and risk assessment.
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