7/18/2007

Opting out of organ donation rather than opting in - The way forward in my opinion

I agree wholeheartedly with comments today by Sir Liam Donaldson who believe we should change our organ donation system to one where you have to opt out as opposed to the opt in system we currently have.

Countries with deeply held religious views like Belgium and Spain have such systems and they have far more transplant operations and few people on waiting lists. In the UK, 500 people a year die whilst on waiting lists and a further 500 are removed from lists because their health has deteriorated so much that they cannot survive an operation. These people die quickly too. So a scheme like that proposed by Sir Liam Donaldson could save 1000 lives a year.

I am sorry if people are offended that their organs could be used, but they can opt out. Personally I am offended that a thousand people die each year because of the current system.

6 comments:

Tristan said...

I see the state wants to claim ownership over our bodies now, unless we claim them back.

This is wrong. The assumption should be your body will not be used for purposes you have not explicitly authorised.

The way to improve the rate of organ donation is to allow people to be paid for their organs. Surely they're just like any other property you own? We already charge for our time and effort at work.

There is nothing immoral about that since there is not coercion involved, it simply rewards people for taking a risk.

Nich Starling said...

It's a shame that liberty for some people means letting one thousand people a year die.

I guess we'll have to disagree.

Anonymous said...

I carried a donor card in my wallet until I was diagnosed HIV-positive. I just hope, that if the system will be changed as you wish, I don't have to carry a card in my wallet which warns that I'm HIV+, in the case that I will suddenly die. That kind of card might give me up also in some cases I don't want to.

Anonymous said...

I attended a funeral in 2006 for a LD councillor. At the end of the service the minister read out a list of the people her organs and eyes had helped - I recall it was about six people.

The announcement was at once shocking and incredibly rewarding as we left the service knowing that her death had saved others.

She was a wonderful woman in life and she gave even more after he death.

How is that bad?

Anonymous said...

Wit and wisdom, that is not bad. But you are making the collectivist error, that if something seems to be good, let's make it obligatory. That's why some so-called "liberals" support obligatory voluntary work, which of course is a paradox. Forcing people to do something, even for a good purpose, is itself evil. I, for one, don't believe that end justifies the means.

Joe Otten said...

How hard would it be to just ask everybody, while they are alive?

Then the difference between opt in and opt out will vanish.

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