2 December 2012 Last updated at 08:27 ET

Jersey deputy Montfort Tadier backs organ donation 'opt out'

People's lives could be saved in Jersey if a new system for organ donation was adopted, an island politician has said.

Deputy Montfort Tadier said he would welcome the "opt out" system being considered by the Welsh Assembly.

This would mean people would have to opt out if they did not wish to donate their organs when they die.

Jersey currently follows the UK system where consent is established by a person joining the organ donation register or their family approves it.

If a family member of the deceased refuses permission, however, the organ donation would not go ahead.

Mr Tadier said the demand for organs "far outstrips" those donated, so if Jersey adopted the opt out system, more organs would become available for transplants.

"Although research shows that most people would actually be in favour of both donating or accepting an organ in emergency situation, the figures for donation don't reflect that," he said.

"As humans we inherently perhaps don't like thinking about our own mortality - we don't like thinking about these very extreme circumstances, but my perspective - and what the Dean of Jersey said in the Sates quite recently - is that when we're dead we don't need our organs."

The Human Transplantation Bill is due to go before the Welsh Assembly for approval in January and could become law there in 2015.