One in four organ transplants from ‘high risk’ donors

“If they don’t get it in perspective they may worry or end up turning down an organ.”

NHS Blood and Transplant confirmed that last year 25 per cent of organs came from donors with a history of drug abuse, tumours, or those over the age of 70.

Guidelines state that patients must be given detailed information if the organ they are receiving is high risk.

Prof Warrens said the deaths of Mr Stuart and Mr Hughes – who died within three weeks of their transplants – was an “incredibly rare situation”.

“The vast majority of people who have taken an organ like this wouldn’t have run a risk whatsoever,” he added.

“The chances of dying without a transplant are much higher than dying because of a transplant.

“Three people die every day in the UK for want of an organ.”

An inquest heard Robert Stuart and Darren Hughes died after operations at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales.

The kidneys they received had been rejected as “unfit” by other hospitals. Mr Stuart, 67, of Cardiff, and Mr Hughes, 42, of Bridgend, died after being given kidneys infected with meningitis-causing parasitic worms.

Doctors knew the donor had died from meningitis before accepting the organs, Cardiff Coroner’s Court heard last week.

But no post mortem examination had been carried out on the unnamed donor before his organs were offered for transplant.