A major new coalition of organ donation and transplantation stakeholders has brought in PR support ahead of its launch later this year.
Transplant 2013 is made up of patient, professional and industry bodies involved in organ transplants. It has called in specialist healthcare public affairs consultancy Advocate before its launch.
Advocate will provide secretariat services to run the coalition from its offices in Westminster. The account will be led by its founder and managing director Jamie Holyer.
Only 28 per cent of the UK population has joined the Organ Donor Register. More than 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant. Of these, 1,000 each year will die waiting as there are not enough organs available.
The coalition will aim to lead the campaign to ensure the Government target of increasing organ donation
after death by 50 per cent by 2013 is met. It will also try to make transplantation a priority for the next Parliament.
The founding members of Transplant 2013 include the British Transplantation Society, Genzyme Therapeutics, the National Kidney Federation, the Transplant Trust, Alexion Pharmaceuticals and other members of the transplant community. All patient, professional and industry stakeholders will be invited to join the coalition.
Keith Rigg, president of the British Transplantation Society, said: ‘It is vitally important that organ donation and transplantation remains a priority for both Parliament and Government up to and
beyond 2013. Good progress has been made, but parliamentary awareness of organ donation and transplantation remains worrying low.'
No comments:
Post a Comment