To opt-out of organ donation

[Jamiek80]

I am currently on the organ donor list however if the government make it opt out instead of opt in I will choose to opt out. I have a few reasons firstly though I’m on the register I actually have no clue what is involved, What can be taken, how much is taken, what happens to my body and a whole load more questions. Secondly if opt out what will happen can they just take everything I mean it’s possible to transplant a head these days so why not just store whole bodies just in case? Thirdly would the government make it simple to opt-out? Finally if you start opt out technically the government owns your body post death at what point do they decide they can take your organs while you’re still alive? I’m not against organ donation as I said I’m on the register but perhaps a better approach would be more available information, I wouldn’t even know how to re-register these days!

The blubbering about the evil state is almost funny, given where we live and that there are real evil states.

There has been a face transplant where the donor's widow met the recipient. This took a lot of arranging and was not an accident. The widow found it of some help.

Don't want to give? Fine - but no receiving. And before the stupid wheel out the slippery slope argument, that exclusion should only apply to those who won't give, not those who can't. Any parent refusing a transplant for their child should lose parental rights.

I can’t believe how many people would throw their toys out of the pram just because the question was posed the opposite way around. They won’t stop asking you about organ donation, it’s just that the question will be “do you withdraw consent for organ donation?” Rather than “do you give consent for organ donation?”. You still get to choose, you can still say no! You also still get to choose what you want to donate, you an opt out of some parts of you, but leave others opted in. It’s also worth remembering that your next of kin has overriding consent in these cases, so you’re going to have to explain to them as well why you’ve changed your mind. Because I can well see a scenario happening where a doctor comes to your grieving next of kin and asks the question (as they have to do by law regardless of opt in or opt out) and your next of kin says “oh well she signed up to the register years and years ago so of course you can have her organs”. You need to have the conversation with the person making the decision, regardless of the system.

And also I do agree that if you aren’t willing to donate something (I’m not saying it has to be organs, it could be blood or other tissues for example) you shouldn’t be able to receive them. Yes, the organs are a gift, but how incredibly one sided is it to sit there and say “yeah I’ll take that life saving gift from you because I need it, but if you or anyone else needed one from me to Dave your life, you won’t be getting it”? Basically it says to me that you believe your life and organs to be worth more than those willing to donate them.

Also OP I think you’re maybe looking at too many websites! Just look on the NHS one- it doesn’t mention anything about face or hands on there. The USA one does, but since you’ve been talking about UK government and hospital care, the USA rules won’t apply to you.

Who is "they"?

save your life. Not Dave. Although I’m sure he’s an excellent candidate for organ donation too.

And yes, the “give to receive” is about those who are able- I have no problem with people receiving an organ if they actually can’t donate, but to say you wouldn’t give one even if you could but yet receive one seems unfair. It’s likely a gift that will never be given or accepted for most people, but I think if you’re willing to accept one you should already have said you’d be willing to give.

I want to opt out of donating my organs to Biker47

;)

Few of my organs work fully but they can take what they can San the rest can go for research.I find it hard to understand why someone wouldn't want to donate theirs

Probably going to cause a ruckus here but personally I think that if you medically can give your organs after death then they should be used. Obviously as with giving blood there are people who don't qualify, that's fine. Having watched several people die from lack of suitable organs, I am all for automatic donation. You are still able to have a funeral, cremation/burial. But in one person dying, several lives can be saved/improved.

I am on every donor list I could find, & I would do live donation if it was needed. My DD was signed up within a week of being born for an organ donor, & the new baby will be too. When you watch someone struggle & eventually die because there is just no organs available, it gives you a different perspective on things

There will never be too many organs. Have you never heard of people waiting years for a transplant because an organ never materialises and if it does it’s not a match? Educate yourself.

I think it's fine to opt out, as long as you don't expect someone to give you an organ if one of yours goes wrong.

Nothing anyone says will change my opinion, if they want to increase organ donation numbers, increase drives to do that, increase advertising spending, increase asking people at all avenues of medical care.

They have tried all of that.

Do you know there are people waiting for transplants who have gone to live in Spain because they stand a better chance of getting an organ. Spain has had an opt out system for years.

Some people on this thread are honestly disgusting it’s quite nauseating that you would take an organ but not give one.

Vile.

can’t believe how many people would throw their toys out of the pram just because the question was posed the opposite way around

Suit yourself, but it was s happening and I am one of those people.

To those who don’t want to donate - no criticism from me, curiosity here, indulge me - what do you think happens when you die? To you, I mean, do you believe in an afterlife? Will you ‘need’ a complete body for a funeral?

To those who don’t want to donate - no criticism from me, curiosity here, indulge me - what do you think happens when you die? To you, I mean, do you believe in an afterlife? Will you ‘need’ a complete body for a funeral?

Nothing happens when you die, that's part of the reason why I decided of my own free will to donate my organs after I died. It's a political standpoint, I don't believe the government has the right to assumed consent after death, they have the right to ask you and to offer to take them after death. I don't believe they have the right to assume, and put the onus on you for saying no.

Also, I never said I wouldn't opt in again, I want the option of opting out, purely for the reason of telling them why I've chosen to opt out ;)

I would rather my organs went to an alcoholic drug addict that hadn't opted out than a tee-total vegan that had opted out.

Still don't understand why they can't just follow the register ? After all, it's the closest you can get to the deceased true feelings.

Otherwise - with all due respect - wtf is the point of wasting time and money on a scheme which produces such variable results ?

It's also a little .... insulting ... to think that my final decided wishes could be overturned by people who aren't me ?

Funny we don't distribute estates like we run organ donation

(The above is almost verbatim what my late DM would have said 40 years ago. She was emphatic anything that could be used, but that wasn't possible .)

I'm sure that can be arranged Gromance02

Jux
To those who don’t want to donate - no criticism from me, curiosity here, indulge me - what do you think happens when you die? To you, I mean, do you believe in an afterlife? Will you ‘need’ a complete body for a funeral?

I do want to donate, which is why I have carried a donor card since their inception. I am, however, completely opposed to an opt-out system and would opt out on principle.

As to what happens when you die. It's the end - no heavenly choir of angels, no loved ones gathered to welcome you into heaven - fini. I also don't give a damn whether my body is complete for the funeral - why would I? I will be dead.

The best way of getting more organs is investing in creating artificial organs. We are never going to have enough from donations.

relatives will ALWAYS have the final say, no one will ever go against their wishes

That's a very sweeping statement. I don't trust any future government not to change the rules. In fact it's likely they will as it's against the spirit of organ donation if the deceased's wishes are over ridden whether they were for or against.

My family knows my position and I have already opted out.

I also worry about doctors getting it wrong when someone is not actually dead. Particularly when they are a vulnerable person with no relative to advocate for them. As they can't even do something basic as feed elderly patients properly in hospitals I feel we can't trust them to get this right every time without proper funding. And proper funding isn't going to happen with Tories and Brexit.

I am currently on the register, but would want relatives to have to ultimate say over anything when I'm gone. They have to go on living with it.

I suspect relatives will still be the big sticking point. Some people want to spend some time with the person after they have died, and that is not possible when you donate an organ.

I on on the organ donation register and bone marrow register, a child in my family died of leukaemia, I know how vital bone marrow transplants can be.

It is of course anyone's right to opt out, but if you would accept an organ, I think it is repugnant to refuse to donate.