Organ donation - just say "no"?

[housesparrow]

I don't carry a donor card but wouldn't bother to opt out, either. I suppose that is why some people favour the change. However...



Some doctors are set to argue against moves towards an organ donation system of presumed consent in the UK.

Under presumed consent all people are assumed to be willing to donate their organs unless they have opted out.

No part of the UK has introduced such a system yet, although the Welsh assembly favours the idea.

However, delegates at the British Medical Association's annual conference in Cardiff will debate later whether the move could damage trust in doctors.

Those in favour of presumed consent, which has been supported by the BMA for the last 10 years, believe it would help boost UK donation rates, which, despite recent improvements, still lag behind many other countries

more ....

....






One doctor is reported as saying: "[Donation] rates are going up and I and my colleagues are concerned that if we move to presumed consent it could damage trust in doctors. If someone is in intensive care, families may feel doctors just want to harvest the organs,"

[aubrey]

I've registered and everything; but I can understand people's reluctance.

There is a really unpleasant horror story by Charles Grant on this subject, about a time when all bodies are harvested, with no opt-out.

It starts something like, "[name] poured ground glass into his wife's eyes." (He is trying to make her organs useless.)

[jean]

Jun 28, 2011 8:11:26 GMT housesparrow said:

I don't carry a donor card but wouldn't bother to opt out, either.

But why don't you carry one?

This is something I really cannot understand.

If there are lots of people like you, then if we don't start presuming consent, we continue the situation where a lot of people who need donated organs don't get them - and for no good reason at all.

[aubrey]

I think you need to register as well, Jean. You can do that online though; takes about 2 minutes. You should also tell your family, etc. But I think they can still stop donation whatever you do.

[jean]

But I have been registered for years! And OH and anyone else who might be interested know all about it!!

[aubrey]

Oh, I know you have, Jean. Just that, I'm not sure that carrying a card is enough. I know that for a long time I felt guilty because I only had a card, and hadn't registered (it never occurred to me when I was sitting at a computer; other things got in the way). And even then, my mother or our lass could stop it, or even hold it up until it's too late, if they wanted. Not that they would.

[housesparrow]

My reason for not carrying a card is historic; it doesn't apply now - so I ought to get round to it.

[Weyland]

I carry both British and Dutch donor cards, but I like to keep it quiet.

[aubrey]

We'll be fighting with the Dutch for your bits, Weyland.

[Weyland]

Jun 30, 2011 18:50:30 GMT aubrey said:

We'll be fighting with the Dutch for your bits, Weyland.

Story of my life, Aub.