Written Evidence on Presumed Consent for Organ Donation from the Christian Science Committees on Publication

Dear Jonathan Morgan,

Thank you for your article "Let's hear your views on presumed consent for organ donation" in the Western Mail last week. I am very grateful for this opportunity to comment on the inquiry about organ donation and transplantation.

The response below is made in my capacity as a UK representative for Christian Science. My full title is District Manager for the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, Christian Science Committees on Publication.

The primary role of the office of the Christian Science Committees on Publication is to present accurate information to the media and government about Christian Science. The District Manager is appointed by The Christian Science Board of Directors to represent the practice of Christian Science to the UK legislative bodies, including the Welsh Assembly. Christian Science Committees on Publication throughout the UK, and other European nations, are involved in communicating with the media, other religious bodies, civic organizations and government institutions about Christian Science. Christian Science is not linked in any way with Scientology.

In Christian Science (for adherents in the UK and throughout Europe) all personal decisions, including organ donation and transplantation, are left to each individual's own prayerful judgment. The Church of Christ, Scientist (i.e., the Christian Science church) does not instruct its members on how to deal with healthcare options, including organ donation and transplantation issues. 

It would be fair to say, though, that it is usual for Christian Scientists to prefer prayer-based healing - as fully explained in Mary Baker Eddy’s "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” - as their primary choice of healthcare, and so having an organ transplant would most likely not be as common an occurrence for them as it would be among other segments of society. However, while Christian Scientists feel that a spiritual approach to meeting their healthcare needs is effective, and therefore a desirable option to exercise, the teachings of Christian Science include no sense of there being biblical condemnation of any specific medical operation, such as blood transfusions and transplants. If these are eschewed it would be from a positive perspective of preferring a different approach, rather than from a negative perspective of rejecting the medical option available.

Individual choice is paramount in Christian Science and just as Christian Scientists have appreciated the ways in which their own choices have been accommodated in government policy, so they would not want to interfere with the choices of those who wish to approach their healthcare needs through organ donation, so long as rigorous safeguards are in place ensuring that each individual opt-out would be properly honoured. We would suggest that all efforts should first be exhausted to encourage sufficient opt-in donations to meet the need, before the change to a system of presumed consent for organ donation is made. Should this occur, though, it would be workable to those in our faith group. However, it is fair to say that Christian Scientists would be concerned if this is taken as a green light for a broader presumption that traditional Western medicine is the assumed norm, especially in this time when so many more people are gravitating towards alternative medicines, as well as prayer-based spiritual healing, such as that practised by Christian Scientists.

Should a presumed consent system be introduced in Wales, including rigorous safeguards ensuring that an individual opt-out would be honoured, we would not require, or be in favour of, an assumed opt out for Christian Scientists because individual Christian Scientists are always free to make their own decisions with respect to health care matters.

I would be very happy to discuss this important issue further with you or any member of the Committee should that be helpful.

Respectfully

Tony Lobl
District Manager for the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
Christian Science Committees on Publication
Claridge House
29 Barnes High Street
London SW13 9LW
Tel: 020-8282-1645 (Office) / 07765-255094 (Mobile)
www.christianscience.com