Should organ donation be manditory?

[bombadilillo]

Ok, a fourth coma patient has just died. He opted out before going into the coma. He has a heart that could save this woman, and no legal guardian.

What exactly would your legal backlash be if a Doctor took his heart and used it to save your mother's life? Would there be one?

Because if there isn't, what weight does the entire opt-out system hold?

You guys are argueing the logistics of opt-out?

You do it when you get a drivers liscence/id and you fill out the form. Check this box if you want to opt-out. Done, anyone in a coma so not filling out form is grandfathered from the old system as you cannot know their wishes and it would be improper. In this specific hypothetical I don't know. Certainly I would be fine with it but I see why people would be upset.

Opt-out is about human physcology in making the decision. There was a lecture about this in college. A lot of people are inclind to donate but don't want to make that decision activly. If you have to tick the box to opt out people see that as messed up and much more poeple tend to donate when the form is worded that way. Its like how surveys can get different results based on wording of the same question.

A system where everyone is magicly a donor unless you go down to city hall and fill out a form is not a good system imo.

 

[Kyoufuu]

My State where I live has an ok system, When you get your Drivers license you are asked if you want to be an organ donor. If you say yes its very big right on your license so if you have it on you doctors know.

I really like that system.

Sadly, your parents/wife/husband/defacto/children/whoever is legally in charge of your assets when you die gets the final say; even if you say no to organ donation and that's on your licence and in your will, the aforementioned person can chose to give your organs away if they want.

Not where I live the license if the only legal document saying you can be an organ donor. http://www.donatelife-pa.org/
I signed up as one and I know my parents disapprove. They can't do anything to change my status unless I lost my license or im under 18. http://www.donatelife-pa.org/getthefacts_faq.asp#16

I'd look further into that. Here, in Australia, I always assumed my license had the last say, and indeed everything I could find seemed to suggest this was the case, but my father is a nurse and told me otherwise one day. Needless to say I was a little shocked. Apparently nothing can stop the legal owner of your crap (parent or wife etc.) from telling the doctor to harvest you. Legally you get no say what happens to you when you're dead -- buried, cremated, funeral, no funeral, Christian, Catholic and anything else.

Maybe your country is different, but I thought like you once.

You CAN, however, put in your will "If anyone vetoes my decision to donate my organs, then they get nothing."

 

[Shio]

If somebody thinks that people shouldn't care what happens to them when they are dead, then suggesting that something horrific will happen to their DEAD body will not phase such a person.

Cool. So I now have the rights to your body. If you want to opt out, come see me in Australia. If not, upon death your body is mine.

That's the exact same situation you are proposing be forced upon me. I'm not down with that. You might be. Good for you. Have fun. I aint.

Ok, so you obviously didn't see that I'm one of those people who doesn't care what happens to my body when I'm dead. Take it, I'm not coming there to opt out because there's no point.
I will be dead; I will experience none of what my body will be going through once you have it.

Ok, now that you understand my argument, perhaps you'd care to justify yours; why are you not happy with your body being used for a good cause once you're dead?

Firstly: you do cares what happens to your body, else you wouldn't donate your organs. If you really didn't care, you'd let anyone decide what to do.

Secondly: other people's problems aren't mine. If they want them, they can pay for them.

 

[Shio]

You CAN, however, put in your will "If anyone vetoes my decision to donate my organs, then they get nothing."

Lol. I might just do that.

 

[bombadilillo]

It should be opt-out, not opt-in. That's my view on the subject. If you honestly care enough about what happens to your body when you're dead to not want to save another person's life, you can at least have the decency to fill out a form saying so.

That said, I do believe that emergency contacts should have the power to refuse as well, such as spouses, parents, children, partners, and friends.

I disagree, if I want to be a donor and die, I have made my choice. I dont want a greiving dependant to even be asked first off. Or to be able to refuse my wishes in that emotional state.

 

[iphonerose]

What they said vv

 

[iphonerose]

Shit quadruple post! Apologies

 

[jpoon]

No it should not be mandatory.

 

[Kenko]

You want my organs? Fine, pay my living relativs for everything you take. Im not the wellfare and most certainly not after death, either.

Hadn't thought of that. Im with him/her/it on this one!

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Being brain dead is no different than body wide organ failure.

...uh. No. That's not even remotely close to correct. Even if it was, and I can't stress enough that it isn't, what about the people whom medical science cannot save but still may have months or years left in their lives? By the time they begin the final process of dying, it's very often too late to harvest their organs. Are you saying these people should be legally forced to give up their last days for the sake of someone they will never meet?

It would behove the people of this thread to not look upon vivisection with such black-and-white candour.

That's different since the person is still conscious. When it comes to brain death you're no longer a person. In fact, "you" are death. Just because your body is kept alive doesn't mean your personality, thoughts, wishes and goals are. As a person, you do not exist the moment you become brain dead.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Having the CHOICE to donate your organs is fine, but making it mandatory is infringing upon your rights, in my opinion. Just like having the choice to donate to charity is a fine and good thing, but forcing people to give to charity is the equivalent to robbery. You earned it, or were born with it, its YOURS to do with as you choose.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

Absolutely. You don't need that heart anymore, give it up. Taking them with you is just selfish, it's like getting buried in your car, someone could certainly use it more than you.

 

[Giest4life]

Sorry, your "reasons" are your own. I find it inherently distasteful that a government will have control over my body by default.

Who are you to decide how I should fell about my body, dead or otherwise?

You have the right to do whatever you want with your body as long as it does not inteerfer with the well being of others. Refusing to donate after death interfers with the well being of other. Your right to freedom of expression and speech does not cover that.

No, I've the right to do anything with my body, regardless of the well being of my others.

 

[Sethzard]

It should be opt out, it shouldn't be mandatory.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Sorry, your "reasons" are your own. I find it inherently distasteful that a government will have control over my body by default.

Who are you to decide how I should fell about my body, dead or otherwise?

You have the right to do whatever you want with your body as long as it does not inteerfer with the well being of others. Refusing to donate after death interfers with the well being of other. Your right to freedom of expression and speech does not cover that.

No, I've the right to do anything with my body, regardless of the well being of my others.

So you have the right to poison yourself with anthrax knowing full well others might contract it and eventually die?

 

[Rayansaki]

I agree 100%. It shouldn't be an opt in thing, but an opt out thing. Not mandatory tho.

 

[Kyoufuu]

Sorry, your "reasons" are your own. I find it inherently distasteful that a government will have control over my body by default.

Who are you to decide how I should fell about my body, dead or otherwise?

You have the right to do whatever you want with your body as long as it does not inteerfer with the well being of others. Refusing to donate after death interfers with the well being of other. Your right to freedom of expression and speech does not cover that.

No, I've the right to do anything with my body, regardless of the well being of my others.

You have the right to inject methamphetamines into yourself? That's news to me.

 

[Giest4life]

Sorry, your "reasons" are your own. I find it inherently distasteful that a government will have control over my body by default.

Who are you to decide how I should fell about my body, dead or otherwise?

Oh, if You want to put it this way... sure. It's the same as believing You are a fairy. You are entitled to believe that, or feel about it one way or another. It's just most probably not true.

You cannot have control over something when You are dead, because in order to have control over something, You have to be alive. That's a tautology.

Finding something distasteful is not a very objective argument to base legislature on. Sure, it's still done, but that doesn't mean there won't be attempts to bust such arguments on a forum. Not wanting an opt-out system due to not liking the idea of not having control over Your body when You die, is like... not wanting it due to not liking the idea of the sky being blue. Okay, You don't like the idea, but it's kinda sorta true. You can attempt to control what happens after Your death, but You can never really control it.

So You, personally, can't control it for sure anyway, and You feel strongly enough about it to presumably fill out an opt-out-form should organ donorship become the default state as per legislature of Your country. So there's no logical reason to be against it.

~Sylv

Finding something distasteful is a valid argument because I don't need to explain my personal opinions.

I won't care about my body if I'm dead, right? I care about my body when I'm dead because I am currently alive. And if I feel I don't like something in the future, I will not approve of it now.

I'm not looking out for social welfare, I am not out for the greater good. I find the idea of government having control over my body by default as repulsive, and I oppose all laws that aim to reach that effect.

 

[Giest4life]

Sorry, your "reasons" are your own. I find it inherently distasteful that a government will have control over my body by default.

Who are you to decide how I should fell about my body, dead or otherwise?

You have the right to do whatever you want with your body as long as it does not inteerfer with the well being of others. Refusing to donate after death interfers with the well being of other. Your right to freedom of expression and speech does not cover that.

No, I've the right to do anything with my body, regardless of the well being of my others.

You have the right to inject methamphetamines? That's news to me.

Yes, I do. Unfortunately, some dipshit in Washington thinks I don't.

 

[Shio]

You want my organs? Fine, pay my living relativs for everything you take. Im not the wellfare and most certainly not after death, either.

Hadn't thought of that. Im with him/her/it on this one!

Our relatives can make a fortune! I wonder how much my cold, icy heart is worth...