The Act – an Overview Part 1: Transplantation Etc. Section 15 – Existing request by adult not acted on before commencement of sections 3 and 6.
33.Section 15 extends only to requests that have been made by an adult that part of their body be used after their death for transplantation but which have not yet been acted upon at the time sections 3 and 6 come into force. Subsection (1) provides that where such a request is in force, either in writing or expressed verbally by the adult, the request is to be treated for the purposes of Part 1 as if it were authorisation by the adult in accordance with section 6(1), either in writing or, as the case may be, expressed verbally. Subsection (2) provides that a request “in writing” for the purposes of subsection (1) includes representation of a character in visible form. The effect of this provision is that existing on-line registration by an adult on the NHS Organ Donor Register, whether given verbally (over the telephone) or in writing, can be treated as if it were authorisation in accordance with section 6. Existing requests made via Organ Donor cards or other methods of tick box requests will also come within the scope of existing requests by an adult “in writing” for the purposes of this section.