The number of living people giving one of their organs to a stranger almost tripled last year in the UK, according to new figures. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) approved 104 so-called altruistic organ donations in 2012-13 compared with 38 the previous year.
The figures include the first case of someone giving part of their liver to someone they had never met. Altruistic donations now make up about one in 12 of all living donations.
The total number of living donations, including those to family members or friends, rose from 1,217 to 1,243 over the same time period. Diana Warwick, chair of the HTA, said donating an organ was a remarkable thing to do.
"Giving someone an organ is a brave and amazing gift. To do it for someone whom you don’t know is doubly so, and the huge increase in people willing to do so is incredible," she said.
"The HTA works on more – and more complex – living donation cases every year and we expect this to continue. We remain committed to ensuring that people can donate organs with confidence."