Organ Donation, Presumed Consent.

[sapelesam]

As the Government discuss changing the law regarding organ donation, are you for or against presumed consent. I have always carried a donor card and am registered, after my death they can have what ever they want. I can see a great benefit to ethnic minorities who are woefully under represented on the register. Can the health service afford all the extra transplants that will now be possible. A few points there, very interested in AB'ers views.

[david small]

Fine by me, help yourself. The choice to opt out is available to those unhappy with donating.

[pixie374]

Yes, jno. The words "presumed" and "consent" just don't sit right together. An oxymoron.

[tamborine]

hc “Well taking your major organs out would certainly contribute to your death”

In effect we are deemed to consent to murder!

[gness]

I thought the checks were quite rigorous, Tambo......are they not?

[pixie374]

When there's no chance of survival, tambo.

[pixie374]

From your own link, tambo, it says donors "may" feel pain whem their organs are removed. I didn't know that!

[david small]

I would preferably be deceased before they harvest me.

[tamborine]

If I were irreparibly brain damaged I would consent but not otherwise.

[jourdain2]

I'm not keen and would probably say 'No'. Don't quite know what it is, but something in me rebels. I was considering opting into kidney donating, amongst other things - but it is the thought of lack of control which bothers me. I may not need it any more - but it is MY body and I want to know what happens to it. (Don't think my liver would be any good to anyone!) So all in all, I'll probably end up opting out instead of donating the organs I think can be useful.

[sunny-dave]

I hope you never need a transplant then jourdain ...

[kvalidir]

'Presumed consent' is a ridiculous notion and although I personally am a donor as are most of the people near and dear to me I am very much against 'presumed consent' as it is usually absolutely not that at all and we must adhere to people's personal wishes on the subject and not just assume that they want to be a donor. I don't like the idea of the state taking control of loved ones dead bodies and ignoring the potential wishes of the grieving either, that is a slippery slope to other interventions. I think we have it right now and I would dislike it being changed.

[jourdain2]

Sunny-Dave ... I'd just like to be in charge of what bits I give. Happy for some of them to go - but I don't want to end up as an empty carcass. Compulsion is a turn-off for me, I would like to be selective. Perhaps a tick-box form would be acceptable.

[ummmm]

I haven't read all the answers.

All my family know to donate anything I have worth giving. My kids only know that organs should be donated.

[sunny-dave]

The current system is a recipe for grand hypocrisy and mealy mouthed platitudes ... people seem to have all sorts of squeamish 'principles' and quasi-religious beliefs, right up until they (or a loved one) needs a transplant. Then, suddenly, all the fog evaporates and they are all in favour of donations.

It makes me sick that I have watched friends die because people don't donate something which (by definition) they can have no further use for.

If you don't like 'presumed consent', then there will be many opportunities to opt-out - and that will be very well advertised I'm sure.

Just don't expect to be first in the queue for a transplant if you do opt-out (that last bit is my view, not official policy ... unfortunately)

[anneasquith]

We are discussing organ donation as if we will still be alive .. We will be dead!!!!!! Why should the soil/ fire get what is left of us ?

[ummmm]

100% agree with Dave and Annea.

[kvalidir]

..and I've watched people who have had transplants die of cancer because they've had transplants it's not as black and white as you wish it to be Dave and I wish you'd stop yelling and wishing fire and Brimstone on anyone with a marginally different opinion to yours. It's an emotive subject and not everyone will agree with you. I am on the Donor's register but I have no wish to compel people to have to opt out.

[anneasquith]

No one should be judged if they choose to opt out , but so many babies/children/adults are dying for the want of an organ. Not all transplants are successful, but transplant surgery is progressing every day. The more transplants done the more proficient the medical staff will become .

[sapelesam]

Thank you all for your participation in this conversation. As a bone marrow transplant recipient, anything we can do to encourage donors should be encouraged.

[naomi24]

If there's an opt out clause I can't see the problem. If you don't like the idea opt out.

I agree with Sunny-Dave. If you opt out don't expect to be given priority when you need help.