Everyone 'should donate organs,' England's chief medical officer says.

[BurtWorm]

Toasterlad is not alone. I think this is a sane idea. If you don't want your body harvested, you should be allowed to say so. But doctors should presume consent in every case where it hasn't been explicitly denied.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6902519.stm

There is a major shortage of organs available

Everyone should be seen as a potential organ donor on their death unless they expressly request not to be, England's chief medical officer says.

Sir Liam Donaldson calls for a system of "presumed consent" to be introduced to tackle chronic shortages of organs.

One person dies each day after failing to find a suitable donor, Department of Health figures suggest.

But scrapping a system under which people must clearly state their wish to be a donor will prove controversial.

Such a move was rejected by MPs when they voted on the Human Tissues Act in 2004.

Both the then Health Secretary John Reid and Health Minister Rosie Winterton declared it was not up to Parliament to make decisions about what became of people's bodies when they died.

[OlderButWiser]

1. I agree...

that everyone should be willing to donate their organs, upon death. I'm just not sure of the requiring part.

[blondeatlast]

2. I'm waiting for an organ--and I completely disagree. Keep the institution's hands

off of my body before, while, and after I breathe unless my Living Will tells you different (which mine very specifically does).

Just get the word out, fill out the necessary paperwork--it's easier than the paperwork for a car loan, and make sure your family knows your intentions.

Keep the government off my body--remember Terri Schiavo?

[Justitia]

3. What does Terri Schiavo have to do w/anything? That was a family fight, which has no bearing here.

[blondeatlast]

5. Did the government interfere, or didn't they? Like I say, I've got a very long wait

for what I need, but I don't want this to happen.

[Justitia]

9. I don't like the conflating of Schiavo & organ donation - not a valid comparison.

And my son has a very long wait for a kidney too.

I really hate all the misinformation and scare stories / urban legends that I see get promoted on these kinds of threads.

Fear and superstition is what keeps people dying needlessly every day.

[blondeatlast]

12. Again--it's the government getting a hand in a very private matter.

I advocate for organ doantion every chhance I get--I explain that it's very easy and efficiaent. I'm very, very knowledgeable.

An opt-out system just horrifies me. I guess on this we will have to disagree--but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop making my case.

[Justitia]

17. Doesn't the gov't have the responsibility to promote the general health?

No one is advocating taking a dead person's organs against their wishes.

What is being suggested is an opt-out system. If you are very, very knowledgeable, then you know how many organs are simply thrown away or destroyed simply because NO ONE COULD DISCERN what the dead person's wishes were.

The gov't has the responsibility to promote the general health and welfare of it's living citizens.

[The2ndWheel]

27. Which means it won't be opt-out for very long

It can't be if the responsibility of the government is to promote general health. Then the only reason you will be allowed to live is so that your organs can be used when you die. That means more laws restricting this and that(left issues as well as right). That might mean more regulation of corporations, but by that point the state and the corporation will be the same thing(if there is a difference now). You will not own you. You, like most of everything else, will be owned by the corporate state. You will live and die for the corporate state.

[NashVegas]

6. That the Government Stepped Into

As many in the business of organ donation seem to be asking our government to do.

[Justitia]

7. After her parents petitioned them. Has nothing to do w/organ donation. -eom

[NashVegas]

13. You Asked What Organ Donation Has to Do With the Schiavo Case

Well-intentioned people who wanted an extension on a body's natural expiration date attempted to force their will by way of legislation.

Schiavo had no physical record, anywhere, of her choice to be allowed to die in such circumstances, we had only her heir's claims, which, because he was her heir, legally had to be followed.

So what happens to someone to forgets to formally opt out, but has an heir who claims that person had stated outright they did not want to be an organ donor? Is that person going to have to fight the legal battle Michael Schiavo was forced to?

Will you force the rest of us to be Terri Schiavos, as well?

[blondeatlast]

15. Thank you--you explained it far better than I am. nt

[Justitia]

22. Still an invalid comparison. Schiavo was not brain dead, her heart beat on it's own.

This is a ridiculous comparison.

If you read up on all the procedures on how transplants are performed you would see very clearly why the two are completely incomparable.

[blondeatlast]

24. I hate to tell you, but the organs are harvested while the heart is beating.

I'm sorry.

[Justitia]

25. Yes, the heart is kept beating by MACHINES. How much do you really know about this anyway? -eom

[NashVegas]

30. Kind of Like How Schiavo's Food Intake Was Enabled By Machines

You mean?

[Justitia]

32. Egad. Not the same at all. Try reading a little about transplants.

Or just continue feeding the anti-science, anti-medicine hysteria and ignorance on the subject.

[NashVegas]

28. That's Obtuse Reasoning

The issue for comparison is legislated interferance with a natural process. And it's highly valid and comparable.

[Justitia]

34. You really have no idea what you're talking about, so I'm leaving it here.

If you really want to be educated on the transplant process, do some reading - the UNOS site is a good start or talk to a transplant doctor.

[NashVegas]

36. And You Have No Understanding of Language

Comparison:

1. the act of comparing.
2. the state of being compared.
3. a likening; illustration by similitude; comparative estimate or statement.
4. Rhetoric. the considering of two things with regard to some characteristic that is common to both, as the likening of a hero to a lion in courage.
5. capability of being compared or likened.

[blondeatlast]

14. You seem to know a bit about the system. You do realize that now, if any familial objection

is encountered, UNOS rarely interferes for the legal risks it involves?

This is a nightmare scenario--and Terri Schiavo, as a incapacitated individual--as all organ donors are--is absolutely valid.

[NashVegas]

21. Not That Much, Really

I'm simply familiar with the arguments.

I hope you get what you need, soon.

[blondeatlast]

26. That was for Justitia, actually. But I appreciate your knowledge. Thanks. nt

[Justitia]

23. Yes, I know that, and the Schiavo comparison is completely invalid here.

If you are aware of UNOS procedures and regulations, then you know Schiavo would not be a candidate during the court fight between her husband and parents.

Why are you scaring people with urban legends?

[blondeatlast]

33. My prayers for your son--I know what it is to hear the phone ring

at night, only to be let down again.

I'm not going to convince you, and you aren't going to convince me. What I will do is tell everyone I know that the process is very simple and there's a mom waiting every night for "that call."

My fondest praryer is that both of ours will be answered.

:hug:

[BurtWorm]

16. The government won't go near your body (until and unless we have universal health care, of course)

It would be in the hands of the doctors. If the family doesn't want the body harvested, they should have the right to say so. But if they don't express a preference, why presume they wouldn't consent?

The term "harvesting" has a ghoulish connotation. What doctors would be presuming is that a person who dies with a mostly healthy body would want to donate a healthy organ to someone who needs it more than they do. Now it's presumed that people want to pickle or bury or burn their healthy body parts rather than donate them. Whyh do we make that presumption? Isn't it because of a tabu against "harvesting?"

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Bad idea. Here's why:

I die, and my organs go to someone who promptly comes down with HepA&B and dies themselves. Why? Because this will end up being a system where everyone is a potential organ donor, and the system will get in the habit of just taking organs, matching blood types, and using them, instead of looking for associated risk factors as well. The fact that it is stated the way it is indicates that this is likely to happen.

[blondeatlast]

10. As inadequate as this system is, it is remarkably efficient and cautious

when a donation is available. I can't stand the thought of an "opt-out" system--and I'm waiting for an organ.

[BurtWorm]

20. I don't understand what your objection is, blondeatlast.

Why should we presume that people don't want to donate organs they don't need anymore?

[Justitia]

11. Extensive testing is done. No one wants to transplant an organ that will kill someone. -eom

[EstimatedProphet]

31. I hope you're right. However, I don't know that you're right.

And that makes all the difference.

[KansDem]

19. If someone has serious health problems their organs would not be wanted.

I have had a heart attack and now have diabetes. I believe this would disqualify me from donating any of my organs considering a weaken heart and extra-sweet organs would be the only thing I could offer.

I suppose this should be stated on some I.D. I carry on me so my organs won't get inadvertently thrown into the mix...

[EstimatedProphet]

29. Indeed, I would hope so

However, in practice I could see something like this being steamrolled into action, and a lot of safeguards which should be in place either ignored or weakened.

I am wary of any case where someone is Strongly Concerned About Something, And Must Do Something About It. I think when people develop ideas that make them think in capital letters, their reasoning and planning abilities start to get weakened.

[NashVegas]

8. Yeah, Well England's Getting More Messed Up By the Day

They are the most spied-upon by any government in the world.

Tony tried to pass legislation outlawing hooded sweat-shirts, for crying out loud.

[slj0101]

18. As a cornea recepient, I am very thankful for organ donation.

To think that one person could affect so many people with life-threatening (or in my case, sight-threatening) conditions is amazing.

That said, I still believe it is a person's choice as to whether or not they decide to be an organ donor. No one should make that decision for them.

[Trillo]

35. Ka-Ching

I always find the organ-donation debate humorous in a hypocritical sense: some of the best paid people (doctors) and Health Corporations (anti-rejection drugs particularly) never suggest that they should always have to "freely" donate their products and services.

It's always about "little people" being generous.

[BurtWorm]

37. Everyone dies. Even rich people.