Poll: Donating Organs - Default Choice?

[Trivun]

This was inspired by a very recent thread asking if people are registered organ donors. To save typing it all out again, here are my views on the subject, as I posted in that thread.

Yes, I am. The reason for this is because I personally think that anyone who isn't an organ donor is simply lazy, or selfish. Note that when I say selfish I mean the people who outright refuse to do so, not the people who simply can't be bothered. Thing is, if any of us on this forum were suddenly involved in a serious accident tomorrow, maybe being run down by a car or something, and we needed an emergency organ transplant or blood transfusion, we wouldn't be complaining that there are people out there who have, dead or alive, donated organs for them to use. Likewise if one of us was suddenly struck down with a serious illness and was put on the waiting list for a new organ, or else we'd die. We wouldn't be complaining about organ donors, in fact we'd be sitting there praying to whatever deity we believe in, or to Richard Dawkins, that someone will donate their organ (regardless of the way in which said organ becomes available) so we can live.

Therefore, it's downright selfish to expect an organ for you when you need one, yet not be prepared to donate to someone else who is in vital need of one when they are ill or injured and we can afford to donate. As for when we die, we don't need the organs anymore, so why not let them be of use to someone else who needs them? I'm not entirely sure how many people can be saved individually from a single person's organs and blood, but I'm pretty sure that the answer is at least ten, probably more, per person. When I die, as an organ donor, I could potentially save over ten people's lives. How good is that? It's a damn sight better than letting those ten or more people die because I was too selfish or lazy to bother signing up as a donor.

And that is also why I personally feel that the law should be changed so that everyone is an organ donor by default. If you don't want to be one, then fine, you're being a heartless bastard but nevertheless an opt-out scheme should be available. But everyone should automatically be made a donor as soon as they reach the age of, say, 18, and then have to register to opt-out of the donor list if they have any reason for not wanting to be a donor, such as religious reasons or something. We'd have much shorter waiting lists, save thousands more lives, and it would be so much less strain on the healthcare services. Not to mention solving the problem of apathy with regards to organ donors.

What I want to know, then, is what are people's opinions on such a scheme as I describe in my final paragraph? What do you think are the merits of having a scheme where everyone is registered as default to donate organs, and have to opt out if they don't like being on the register? What do you think are the problems with it? I think it's a great idea and one that should be made law as soon as possible. But what about you guys and girls?

EDIT: Oh, and if you answer the poll, then PLEASE POST YOUR REASONS! I don't want to sit here looking at statistics and no information, I actually want to know why people feel the way they feel. This is a forum for discussion, after all.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

It sounds like a good idea, but I imagine most people want to be buried intact, rather than missing a few bits.

I can't really say, seeing as I'm unfit for donation either way.

 

[Rabid Toilet]

While I would personally be for the system, I can think of one reason why people wouldn't want it in place.

I would assume that you would need to be an adult to make the decision on whether to opt out or not, so what if someone dies soon after coming of age, but before they could go through the process?

They and their family might be completely against it, for whatever reason, but the doctors would be legally able to harvest their organs.

Probably not the most common occurance, but it could still upset some people.

 

[Trivun]

It sounds like a good idea, but I imagine most people want to be buried intact, rather than missing a few bits.

I can't really say, seeing as I'm unfit for donation either way.

Huh? How come you can't donate organs?

While I would personally be for the system, I can think of one reason why people wouldn't want it in place.

I would assume that you would need to be an adult to make the decision on whether to opt out or not, so what if someone dies soon after coming of age, but before they could go through the process?

They and their family might be completely against it, for whatever reason, but the doctors would be legally able to harvest their organs.

Probably not the most common occurance, but it could still upset some people.

Fair enough, but maybe in cases like that then the person's family or whatever could appeal the decision? Then they at least have some say in the case, but at the end of the day I feel that the needs of the living should be placed before the needs of the dead, and if the living need new organs to carry on living then why should the dead have the right to stop that from happening?

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

All depends. Family beliefs, Religions, personal reasons/beliefs. I personally am a donor because once I die, why take what is already a scarce thing? (organs obviously)

Besides, It'd be peace of mind if my organs were used to save the life of someone deserving. Although I did forbid my lungs to be used for someone with lung cancer caused by smoking, that was your own choice. (no offence)

 

[Dexiro]

I voted no but on second thoughts it wouldn't be so bad. Once I'm dead I guess you can do what you want with my body, just don't tell me about it beforehand x3

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

there has already been a debate on this

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.255095-Organ-donage-and-why-I-think-everyone-should-be-a-doner-or-it-should-be-opted-in-the-law

i will say why isn't a good idea though (condensed coypaste argument of mine from the previous organ donation optout thread)

ultimately in life the only thing you really own is your own body, arbitrary decisions to use their organs after they've passed without their consent is the ultimate form of abuse, if a person has not made it clear that they want their organs to be donated after they've died for whatever reason be it undecided or actively against it, then nobody else has the right to overwrite that, to do so suggests one persons needs are more important than anothers (which is in itself a supreme form of arrogance)

by going for an opt-out system you are trying to enforce a belief, on the entire population of a given country, shifting the legal goalposts and disregarding human ethics and/or the wishes of the next of kin (who know more of the deceassed's mindset than some anonymous bureaucracy) by putting the deceased (who either may not have had the time to come of a decision before they died or conveys his wishes on paper to the next of kin as opposed to a government database) on ice, preventing them from being buried until their organs are harvested (which is in itself treating one section of the hospital and human cadavers like a U-Pull-It), and delaying the grieving process that burials help precipitate because you may save a few thousand people (despite the fact that the human population numbers in the billions) on the basis of 'doing the right thing' FYI 'saving lives' does not justify this, that is merely an attempt to sugarcoat trying to enforce your beliefs on everyione else

 

[Blind Sight]

Personality I don't think anyone would want my organs. My lungs are slick with tar, my liver has been severely abused by alcohol, I have massive issues with my digestine tract, etc. Basically my body hates me. I suppose they could take my kidneys when I'm dead, I obviously won't be needing them.

 

[Wintermoot]

dont need it anymore when I bite the dust but I,m not registerd
PS id, say take,em unless its specified they dont want to donate their organs

 

[Kyoufuu]

While I would personally be for the system, I can think of one reason why people wouldn't want it in place.

I would assume that you would need to be an adult to make the decision on whether to opt out or not, so what if someone dies soon after coming of age, but before they could go through the process?

They and their family might be completely against it, for whatever reason, but the doctors would be legally able to harvest their organs.

Probably not the most common occurance, but it could still upset some people.

Actually, no, any member of the immediate family can veto organ donation whether the donor wanted them to or not. At least in Australia.

I voted yes, because at the moment a majority of people are not donors, and this group is made up of the people who are too lazy, and the people who genuinely have a problem with it. With an opt-out system, the people who genuinely have a problem with it -aka the only ones who don't want their organs donated-, will still opt out, and the people who don't care about their organs after death save lives.

 

[Safaia]

The whole 'being buried whole' thing is rubbish unless it is for religious reasons. If you want an open casket it's not like anyone is going to notice that your kidneys are missing underneath your clothing. I know some faiths believe that having as much of the physical body as possible is a good thing and I have nothing against that but other than that there is no reason. Even if you think you are 'unfit' or whatever you should still at least let them take a look.

I also think open caskets are creepy as fuck because why the hell would I want my last memory of a loved one be looking at their corpse?

 

[SomeLameStuff]

It sounds like a good idea, but I imagine most people want to be buried intact, rather than missing a few bits.

I can't really say, seeing as I'm unfit for donation either way.

Huh? How come you can't donate organs?

Well, let's just say I had some very nasty stuff that would most likely disqualify me from donating organs.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

The whole 'being buried whole' thing is rubbish unless it is for religious reasons. If you want an open casket it's not like anyone is going to notice that your kidneys are missing underneath your clothing. I know some faiths believe that having as much of the physical body as possible is a good thing and I have nothing against that but other than that there is no reason. Even if you think you are 'unfit' or whatever you should still at least let them take a look.

I also think open caskets are creepy as fuck because why the hell would I want my last memory of a loved one be looking at their corpse?

who the hell are you decide whether that reason is valid or not?

as for open caskets, for some that helps the grieving process along, which is what funerals are about

 

[Safaia]

The whole 'being buried whole' thing is rubbish unless it is for religious reasons. If you want an open casket it's not like anyone is going to notice that your kidneys are missing underneath your clothing. I know some faiths believe that having as much of the physical body as possible is a good thing and I have nothing against that but other than that there is no reason. Even if you think you are 'unfit' or whatever you should still at least let them take a look.

I also think open caskets are creepy as fuck because why the hell would I want my last memory of a loved one be looking at their corpse?

who the hell are you decide whether that reason is valid or not?

as for open caskets, for some that helps the grieving process along, which is what funerals are about

I'm not deciding anything for anyone that's just my opinion. I don't really care what people do with their corpses. I just think if I can help someone after I die then I'd like to and I don't really see why someone wouldn't want to do that. If they don't though that's their decision and I'm fine with it.

 

[Dimitriov]

I voted "Organ donation is immoral or otherwise wrong" but that's not quite accurate just the best option you gave me. I don't think it's immoral I just think it's well... wrong. A person's body is an important part of who they are whether they seem to realize it or not.

Whoever "you" are is defined by your body and your mind not just one or the other. You can add soul to that list as a third component if you are so inclined. The point being is that you are your body, every bit of it, and using part of that incorporated into someone else, well it just doesn't sit well with me.

Don't get me wrong if other people choose to that's their choice and it can indeed be a laudable one, but as I said I find the whole idea quite unpleasant.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'm in favour of it. Many people don't choose to become organ donors because they are afraid of making decisions, not because they oppose donating. You can still opt out if you want to...but, really, your organs might help someone else, and you are simply too dead for them to be of any benefit to you. Mind you, if more people were donors, it wouldn't be such a problem.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

I think instead of getting a sticker on your driver's license/ID card to give permission to donate organs, they should make it the default choice and give stickers for people to opt out.

 

[Jackpot524]

It sounds like a good idea, but I imagine most people want to be buried intact, rather than missing a few bits.

I can't really say, seeing as I'm unfit for donation either way.

Huh? How come you can't donate organs?

Well, let's just say I had some very nasty stuff that would most likely disqualify me from donating organs.

You can always approve your organs for medical research if they're not fit for transplant, assuming your state/province/country allows for that.
I have the research box checked off on my card so that even my non-transplantable organs could be of some help.

So now you have no excuse...

 

[Jordi]

I personally feel that the decision should be the next of kin's, because I don't see a need for dead people to have rights (even property rights of what used to be their body). I think that the only good reason to not donate organs is when it interferes with the family's grieving process (so I can imagine not wanting to donate your eyeballs or skin or something if they want an open casket). It would be nice to know every person's own preference though, which could be used as a default option or guidance for the family's decision. And the default option for that preference should probably be "yes, donate everything as I don't need it when I'm dead".