New Council on Organ and Tissue Donation Reform

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24 February 2009

Joint Release

Prime Minister
Minister for Health
Parliamentary Secretary to The Minister for Health

The Rudd Government has today announced a 15-member Advisory Council to help drive its new national approach to lifting Australia’s organ and tissue donation and transplantation rates.

The Advisory Council will be headed by businessman and double-lung transplant recipient Sam Chisholm.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the membership of the Advisory Council when he launched the ACT Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week today.

The Rudd Government is committed to establishing Australia as a world leader in best practice organ and tissue donation for transplants.

Despite more than 90 per cent of Australians supporting the idea of organ donation, Australia has a longstanding shortage of organs for transplantation, with nearly 1,800 Australians on official transplant waiting lists.

The Advisory Council will support the recently-appointed Chief Executive Officer of the new Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, Karen Murphy.

Together these organisations will lead a best practice, coordinated national approach to organ and tissue donation for transplant in Australia.

The Advisory Council will be comprised of a cross-section of people across Australia involved in the organ and tissue donation sector.

This new body will bring the widest possible perspective to help drive the Government’s much-needed reforms in this area – from the Chair’s own experience as a transplant recipient, to a range of stakeholder and consumer interests, including donor families, people awaiting transplants, health professionals and experts in the field.

The Rudd Government is investing an unprecedented $151.1 million over the next four years to reform organ and tissue donation in Australia and boost the number of life-saving and life-transforming transplants.

These reforms present a genuine opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of thousands of Australians.

We are committed to achieving a significant and lasting increase in the number of transplants in Australia.

A key element of the reforms is a four-year national community education and awareness program to give Australians regular, clear, factual and relevant information about organ and tissue donation, the benefits of transplantation, and how they can make a difference.

The campaign is encouraging all Australians to discuss their wishes about donation with their family, friends and loved ones.

CANBERRA
FEBRUARY 24, 2009
PRESS OFFICE (02) 6277 7744

*Advisory Council list attached

Members of the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Advisory Council

Name	Role	Key Expertise
Mr Sam Chisholm	Chair	Business and executive experience in the media sector, and double-lung transplant recipient
Dr David Boadle	Member	Public health administrator, with a particular interest in organ and tissue donation and transplantation
Ms Anne Cahill Lambert AM	Member	Consumer advocate for organ and tissue donation and related health issues, and awaiting a lung transplant
Dr Anthony Cross	Member	Emergency physician and intensivist
Prof Don Chalmers	Member	Expertise in health law and ethics
Prof Jeremy Chapman OAM	Member	Renal physician, with expertise in bone marrow and cord blood treatments
Prof Geoff Dobb	Member	Intensivist, with experience in brain death and organ donation
Dr Marisa Herson	Member	Donor tissue expertise
Prof John Horvath AO	Member	Public health administrator, awarded an Order of Australia for services to medicine
Mr David Koch	Member	Business and financial expertise
Ms Rachel Martin	Member	Family of a deceased donor, and works with children with special needs providing early intervention and family support services
Dr Gerry O’Callaghan	Member	Intensivist, with experience in brain death and ethical guidelines for organ and tissue donation
Dr Amanda Rischbieth	Member	Registered nurse, with expertise in organ and tissue donation
Dr Dianne Stephens OAM	Member	Intensivist, awarded the Medal of The Order of Australia for her role in the management of critically ill Bali bombing victims
Dr Russell Strong AC	Member	Liver transplant surgeon and experience in a state based organ donation agency

 

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