Organ Donation Registration Increases
About 25,000 California residents registered to be organ donors during the first week after a new law took effect that allows people to sign up for the state's donor registry when applying for or renewing their driver's licenses, the registry's administrator said, the Los Angeles Times reports. The number represents a 700% increase in registrations, compared with the number of people who register weekly through the Donate Life California Web site, according to Donate Life President Tracy Bryan (Chung, Los Angeles Times, 7/11).
Under the law, which took effect July 1, people can register as organ donors at the Department of Motorized Vehicles when renewing or applying for driver's licenses or identification cards (Kotowski, Bakersfield Californian, 7/10). Previously, potential donors could register only through Donate Life's Web site.
Registering for organ donation is legally binding, and family members will not be able to override a donor's decision. Those who register to become donors can later change their minds about donating or place limitations on what they wish to donate.
DMV Director George Valverde said the number of new registrants is expected to increase as a promotional campaign continues (Los Angeles Times, 7/11).