A TRANSPLANT chief will lead a Glasgow debate arguing that people on the organ ­donor register should be fast-tracked for ­transplants.

Professor Jacob Lavee will discuss the controversial system in operation in Israel where those who have been on the register for more than three years are prioritised for transplants.

The introduction of the reciprocity-based system in 2011 has seen donation rates rise.

Professor Lavee will lead the debate, 'If you don't give you don't get,' tomorrow at the British Transplantation Society congress, which is running until Friday at the SECC.

The three-day event will ­attract more than 400 delegates including doctors, surgeons, laboratory scientists, nurses and transplant coordinators.

Speakers will also include Sally Johnston, director of NHSBT, who will discuss the UK strategy to take organ transplantation to 2020.

The Evening Times is campaigning for an opt-out system of organ donation in Scotland to boost the number of donors on the register. The British Medical Association, and major charities, believe it is the best way to boost donor numbers.

Our campaign was given a major boost last week after an MSP urged the Scottish Government to "move faster" on a possible change to an opt-out system of organ donation, during a debate on our petition.

Angus Macdonald, MSP for Falkirk East, said ministers should not wait for an evaluation of a similar Welsh system, due to come into force next year, before making a decision.

The Committee will now a make a bid for a full debate on the issue.

A BMA spokesperson said: "The BMA believes that it is appropriate to encourage ­people to think about the moral disparity of those who are not willing to donate ­organs after their death but would be willing to accept an organ if they needed one.

"However, we do not support the type of reciprocity system introduced in Israel because it breaches two fundamental principles that the BMA values, namely that ­donation should be a gift ­freely and voluntarily given.

"Therefore individuals should not be given an incentive to donate and organs should be allocated on the basis of ­clinical need, so that social or moral factors should not be taken into account.

"We must find new ways to increase the number of ­organs available to those who desperately need them and we believe that an opt-out ­system would better allow that to happen."

caroline.wilson@eveningtimes.co.uk