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Organ donors, transplants on increase

The federal government's transplant authority has noted a rise in donors and transplants in 2012.

Surgical equipment at a hospital
The federal government's transplant authority has noted a rise in donors and transplants in 2012. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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The number of organ donors has increased by more than 40 per cent in the past four years, with the nation's transplant authority reporting a rise in family consent for donations.

The Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority noted "significant increases" in donations and transplants, with the number of deceased organ donors rising from 247 to 354 between 2009 and 2012.

The trend represents a steep rise in the donors per million of population, the authority's annual report said, with the 2012 rate of 15.6 up from 11.3 in 2009.

The number of transplant recipients increased by 30 per cent over the four years, up from 808 to 1053.

The organs transplanted also rose 30 per cent from 856 to 1110, or from 39.3 per million to 48.9 per million.

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Kidneys were the organ most transplanted from deceased donors.

There were 617 kidney transplants in 2012, 230 liver transplants and 144 lung transplants.

In 2012, 72 heart transplants were undertaken.

Family consent for organ and tissue donation increased from 59 per cent in 2011 to 61 per cent the following year.

However, this was below the 75 per cent aspirational target set by the authority, which it anticipated would be achieved in the next five years.


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