Organ and tissue donation for health professionals

The Australian Organ and Tissue Authority was established in 2009 to support the Commonwealth Government’s World’s Best Practice Approach to Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Reform Package. The Authority works in partnership with all State and Territory Governments and with members of the Organ and Tissue Donation sector to ensure a convergence of policy and practice across Australia on organ and tissue donation for transplantation. DonateLife SA (formerly the South Australian Organ Donation Agency) coordinates all organ and tissue donor activities across the State. The Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1983 provides the legislative framework for organ and tissue donation in South Australia.

Sharing of Donor Stories - proposed changes to the SA Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1983

Proposed changes to the Act aim to give legal clarity to families who wish to share their deceased loved one's donor story, particularly for the purposes of remembrance, commemoration or awareness raising. The public consultation period for these changes closed on 16 August 2024, however the background information is still available on the YourSay website.

The Australian Government has also announced an intention to conduct a broader review of human tissue laws with a view to harmonising them across the nation, which will incorporate a review of the SA Act. Further information on this work is available on the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care website.

DonateLife website for health professionals

The DonateLife national website contains a large amount of material for health professionals working in the organ donation sector. This includes:

• Professional Training – education and training for health professionals on the donation process and supporting families in conversations about the opportunity for organ and tissue donation
• Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) Professional Statements on Death and Organ Donation, Brain Death Determination and Circulatory Death Determination
• Best Practice Guideline for Donation after Circulatory Determination of Death in Australia
• Clinical and Ethical Guidelines for Organ Transplantation
• information on professional scholarships, donor family studies and the Best Practice Guideline for Offering Organ and Tissue Donation in Australia.

Contact DonateLife SA for more information on organ and tissue donation.

Organ donation waiting rates and waiting lists

Refer to the DonateLife website for national performance data that provides an overview of organ and tissue donation and transplantation activity in Australia.

Further information on waiting rates and waiting lists, refer to the Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation (ANZOD) Registry.

Eye donation

Almost anyone can donate eyes regardless of age, sex, race or previous physical condition. Wearing glasses or having poor vision does not prevent eye donation. The cornea can be transplanted to restore or improve sight and occasionally other parts of the eye can be used for reconstructive surgery.

The Eye Bank of South Australia is located within Flinders Medical Centre. For more information on the Eye Bank and associated donation/transplantation processes, please refer to the Flinders University website.

Designated Officers Program

The Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1983 (SA) requires written authorisation by a Designated Officer before proceeding with the removal of organs/tissues for transplantation or for other therapeutic, medical or scientific purposes, hospital post-mortem or whole body donation.

For more information please refer to our Designated Officers Program page.