Could the Spanish Model for Organ Transplants Save 20,000 Lives?
The European Union is considering adopting a new directive that would push the so-called “Spanish model” for organ transplants, a move many believe could save the lives of tens of thousands of European patients lingering on lengthy transplant waiting lists. At a conference on organ transplants held in Madrid last week, leaders from the European Commission, the World Health Organization and the Transplantation Society discussed new rules to encourage better coordination among hospitals, in the hope that it would spur all countries in the EU to have organ donation rates matching those of the highest countries such as Spain, Portugal and Belgium.
