Organ donors

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Did you know that 20 people in the US die every day waiting for an organ transplant?

I am signed up to donate, and my family knows my wishes, but many people choose not to donate their organs when they no longer need them.

I'm wondering if the government should make it mandatory that when someone dies, their organs are automatically are harvested for use, to help save the 20 people per day who will die waiting for a transplant. Wishes of the deceased or their family will not be considered, because this will save lives. Thoughts on this?

 

[Owlpost23]

I'm an organ donor all the back to 1977.I think it's a wonderful gift that I could give someone,if circumstances warranted it.It's called a choice.Should not be government mandated.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

No. It shouldn’t be mandatory.

Everyone should WANT to be a donor IMO, but no one should be MADE to be one.

 

[lorimay]

I am a donor, but it should remain a choice, IMO.

 

[Meglen]

I have been a donor and on the marrow list for years. But it's a choice I made I can understand why people would not want this . Either they know the organs would not be good (drugs ect) or just don't want there body treated that way.

 

[mom2rtk]

I signed up to be a donor years ago. But government mandated donated? Just no. The very thought makes me shudder.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Did you know that 20 people in the US die every day waiting for an organ transplant?

I am signed up to donate, and my family knows my wishes, but many people choose not to donate their organs when they no longer need them.

I'm wondering if the government should make it mandatory that when someone dies, their organs are automatically are harvested for use, to help save the 20 people per day who will die waiting for a transplant. Wishes of the deceased or their family will not be considered, because this will save lives. Thoughts on this?

Excellent question!

 

[mnrose]

Why should we stop at dead donors? I think we should force living donors to donate a kidney anytime someone needs one to "save their life." Lives are important. The "inconvenience" and "risk" to the donor surely do not trump that. Of course, single organs would be different. Then we'd be asking someone else to die so someone else could live, and that would be wrong. So, I'd make an exception for that. But, in cases where the organ needed is something the donor can live without, well, so be it. We're in the business these days of dictating what people can and cannot do with their bodies if it potentially involves saving another.

And, yes, I'm a registered organ donor. And, if a friend or family member needed a kidney, I'd donate one of mine. I donate blood regularly as well.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Why should we stop at dead donors? I think we should force living donors to donate a kidney anytime someone needs one to "save their life." Lives are important. The "inconvenience" and "risk" to the donor surely do not trump that. Of course, single organs would be different. Then we'd be asking someone else to die so someone else could live, and that would be wrong. So, I'd make an exception for that. But, in cases where the organ needed is something the donor can live without, well, so be it. We're in the business these days of dictating what people can and cannot do with their bodies if it potentially involves saving another.

And, yes, I'm a registered organ donor. And, if a friend or family member needed a kidney, I'd donate one of mine. I donate blood regularly as well.

I was thinking the same thing ... actually someone who donates a kidney is statistically likely to live a longer than average life, because the work-up needed in order to donate is so comprehensive that they catch things that may have gone unnoticed otherwise. So forcible kidney donations not only saves one life, but the life of the donor may be lengthened as well. And bone marrow ... no one should be exempt from providing a bone marrow transplant if they are a match, right? When we are born, they should do the swab right then and there and enter it into the national bone marrow registry, so that when someone is in critical need to bone marrow to survive, you will be called up to provide. Sounds good right?

 

[ronandannette]

Excellent question!

I agree and while most of us are pretty caught up in our mundane day-to-day, it’s good to think through issues like this to come to a firm conclusion in our own minds. Medical ethics, especially given the rapidly-expanding nature of “the possible” are very complex and it takes some doing to come to a position that is both emotionally satisfying and logically consistent with our beliefs.

Some of the questions I ponder here are:

• Are people still people after they’re dead or do they then become simply resources or commodities?
• Who do they “belong” to?
• The dead have no agency; why do their prior express wishes count when clearly it can no longer matter to them?
• Given the potential for benefit, what, if any, reasons are “good enough” to warrant refusal for organ harvest?
• If donation is made mandatory upon death, does that actually mean we “belong to the state” all along and if so, what are the farther-reaching implications and our obligations to maintain our physical selves as viable parts?
• Why or why not should we be free to buy, sell or trade our organs amongst ourselves while we are still alive?

FTR I am in full favour of organ donation and will allow the harvest of anything off anybody for whom I have the authority. I can’t say I have 100% iron-clad answers to all the questions though.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Should not be mandatory. It should be the person's choice, and if they do not make the choice prior to death, then it should be their loved ones decision. Also, if they make the choice to do so, the loved ones shouldn't be able to stop it.

 

[amberpi]

While hospitalized for a decently long time, I was honored to see several live organ donors happen. Those people are such a blessing to society. There's nothing in my eyes from thinking about it. Nope, not here.

Again, to all who donate blood, thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[Gigi22]

My late DH wanted to donate his organs. Sadly, his condition made the agency in charge of donations refuse him. The worst 20 minutes of my life were when, as a very recent widow, I had to respond to their telephone survey about his medical condition at death prior to their refusing his donation.

 

[Kae]

I am but in some states just being a donor on your license is not enough if a family member doesn't agree. So tell your family or get a will. Should it mandatory No why do you want the government to control this-that's crazy.

Kae

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Interesting thought about it being mandatory with all the discussion about Alabama's new law. This would include saving lives, so on that tangent, yes - I do believe it should be mandatory. Women are losing the option of choice - maybe men will see how it feels.

I vote yes on making it mandatory (ps, I'm an organ donor and have been for as far back as I can remember).

 

[iivye]

I recently read that England was moving towards a presumed consent law where you would have to opt out instead of the way it is here in America where you have to sign up to be an organ donor. I am a registered organ donor and I would support a presumed consent law with opt out option.

 

[RangerPooh]

A few years ago I listed myself as able to donate. If they are no longer of use to me, why not give them to someone else who may be in need of them?

I don't think that it should be mandatory, but do like the direction that a PP said England is heading. I also think that there needs to be more marketing of the importance of donation. Something that no only pleas to the importance but also clears up misconceptions. You know, that people will chase you down for body part xyz all because you checked a box.

 

[hereyago]

Heck to the no, too much of a slippery slope. A government wants to start harvesting body parts, what would be next? Inmates or people on public assistance, earn your keep and cough up a kidney?

Both of my parents donated their bodies to science (disclaimer even if you sign up to donate your body, when you pass your body still has to meet the criteria).

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I recently read that England was moving towards a presumed consent law where you would have to opt out instead of the way it is here in America where you have to sign up to be an organ donor. I am a registered organ donor and I would support a presumed consent law with opt out option.

I would support this as well.

 

[barkley]

I am but in some states just being a donor on your license is not enough if a family member doesn't agree. So tell your family or get a will

having it in your will won't help if your family is against it. there's a limited window of time items can be harvested, hospitals don't have the time to engage in a legal battle if the immediate family or person w/health care powers wont consent.

a person's best bet if they want to donate is to see where their individual state stands on the uniform anatomic gift act. some states still allow family members to override even the expressed written/registered decedent's wishes. if that's the case in your individual state then you register, make your wishes known and just hope your family follows them.



as to the question at hand-

NO. i am much more in favor of a presumed consent concept. a person could opt out if they so choose and be placed on a registry similar to the existing donation registries (or a parent could for their child) but in absence of opting out the presumption is that the person is a donor. there would have to be language in any law regarding family override but i'm of the mindset that if a person wants to/wants not to donate, no matter what system is in place-family should not be able to override their choice.


p.s. my dd benefited from organ donation and i am eternally grateful to the person/family that made that tremendous gift.