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!

When you sign up for donation you can nominate which organs you want to donate so I don't know why you say you don't know what they can take. They can take what you say they can. And I think you'll find head transplants are not viable actually. Do you mean face transplants?

I really don't understand why people are anti organ donation unless it's for some religious reason. I even have a friend who would not accept an organ should she need it but is herself willing to donate. I also have a couple of friends who keep saying 'I must get round to signing up for the register". Opt out would sort out people like them who, basically, can't be arsed to spend 5 minutes opting in.

I presume you don't expect to get any organs should you need them?

OP if you have so many questions and concerns about it, why on earth did you go to the trouble of joining the existing organ donor list?

YABU

I understand that some people have strong beliefs regarding organ donation. I don’t agree with their reasons for not donating organs but at least they have a reason! You just don’t have a clue, you’re currently on the list so obviously not opposed to organ donation, why on earth would changing to an opt out system change that?

In Wales we already have an opt out system. In practice though, families wishes are still respected.

If you would receive an organ, or want your children to receive an organ, then you should be willing to donate your organs.

You won’t need them when you’re dead after all, but they could save several lives. Don’t be so stupidly selfish.

Really? Based on all your ridiculous questions i think it’s a terrible shame you can’t have a brain transplant.

I once sat in on a transplant consultant meeting as a temporary minute taker for a huge teaching hospital. They were celebrating that they had completed 3 transplants in the last year. Three.
The main reasons for not were families stalling the process so that eventually it was too late to transplant. I think the new system may prevent this happening.
I don't really understand your reasoning that you are currently on the list but will opt out if the change goes ahead. Can you explain?

I don't understand why you would opt out when you currently are on it!

I have been on the register for ages but only recently found out that apparently your family can still say no, regardless of your own wishes, which surely makes it pretty redundant?

I also, when I first signed up, said they could basically have anything except my corneas. As the thought of them cutting my eyes, even after death was just horrific to me. I have since changed this silly stance. I still find the thought pretty gross, but I can potentially save someone who is currently alives sight. And its not like it will bother me anyway where I have gone by that stage.

When i registered you could choose which organs to donate and if you wanted your eyes used or not. There is also plenty of bits left for a funeral to take place. You really need to educate yourself.

I'm opting out too. I don't want my body used for medical research and goodness knows what else. I agree if you're not on the register of donors then you shouldn't receive a transplanted organ. I think there will come a time when the decision on whether to save your life or not will depend on how valuable your organs are. Horrific.

It should NOT be assumed if you are not on the donar list you can't receive an organ. This is a short sighted attitude, I was on the list and had to come off it due to illness as they are unsure if it could be passed on by donation. Does that make my life less worthy?

Um, so you can't transplant heads-I have no idea where you got that idea.

They don't harvest organs from living people without their consent either so I am not sure why you are worried about that either.

They wouldn't store your entire body because they organs need to be kept alive, freezing (I assume that is what you mean by storage) destroys cells so realistically they have to transplant immediately/asap for the transfer to take. The only situation where a cadaver is preserved and stored is it you chose to donate your body for scientific research.

When you opted in you had the option to opt into only donating some organs if that is a concern for you.

From a legal point of view being on the organ register doesn't give the government ownership of anything. It's like a will. You leave your organs to organ divers at the discretion of the relevant authorises and in the trust of health professionals.

You are letting your imagination run wild here.

Information about the everything to do with organ donation and the process should be much more widely publicised and easily available if the government does this.

People have valid questions, but even if their questions seem daft, they have the right to answers if the government is going to take over their body in brain death. Talking about being burnt or worm food as the alternative or stating that people who opt out (for very valid to them reasons) shouldn't be allowed to receive an organ, doesn't help.

I also think that your family should not be able to override your wishes regarding organ donation.

sign up here people if you havent already

make sure your NOK know your wishes

www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-to-donate/register-your-details/

Erm, I think the so-called head transplant was done onto someone...already dead. So a 'success' only on terms that mean that it's...not even remotely a success. Not a teeny, tiny bit successful. We are decades or centuries from human head transplantation, even assuming it were technically possible at all, which it may not be. If you are going to think up stupid reasons for coming off the organ donor list, at the very least make them not from some alternative sci-fi fantasy.

Take the lot I say and if you can make a good stock from the bones!

We have a close friend who was saved by a liver transplant so I'll donate all day long as will my husband.

We've made it clear to family that we are to be useful in death and help as many people as we can, then cremated.

Op have you been watching the film called inhale?

When you are dead you are dead.

I can’t believe there are still people that would opt out from being an organ donor.

Does this also mean if your child needed a life saving heart transplant you would refuse it?

Medical trials on bodies are essential in terms of furthering scientific knowledge.

If everyone opted out we would be in a dire situation.

I fondly hope there will barely be enough left of me to fill a bucket at the crematorium. I really do. My whole family have discussed this and we have all made our wishes known to each other that we want to go for spares. The bits that are me will go when my brain leaves me, the rest can give other people and their families a chance. Why not?

As to head transplants, face on the neighbours, compulsory live organ harvesting, government ownership of corpses? It’s all total bolleaux and far too much dystopian science fiction for me. The NHS has enough problems, without having to act as a storage facility for potential reanimates.

Thanks to a kind anonymous donor my mum lived to see my wedding, my sisters wedding, the birth of 3 grandkids and even their school plays! What a wonderful gift the whole family received. If you wouldn't donate you shouldn't receive. All our family (including the kids) are on the register.

I'm on the register and DH knows my wishes. If I die of anything weird, donate it that body part to science so it can be explored.

We've also spoken to teen DCs and they would also want to donate.

I agree with if you'd receive then you should also give donated organs.

We have an opt out system here in Belgium though the family can override those wishes unless you go to the local civic offices and fill out a form to say they can’t. I have done this. If there is anything useful of me left I want someone to have it. My cousin’s grandson is a year old and needs a heart lung transplant otherwise he will die. He has spent the whole of his life in hospital in and out of intensive care. He is a very smiley baby and it will break our hearts but especially those of his close family if he doesn’t make it. I am disappointed by your reaction OP.

I also think that your family should not be able to override your wishes regarding organ donation.

I genuinely find this baffling. What is the point in people making the choice of what happens to their own body after they die, if it can be overriden by people who the body does not actually belong to.

I genuinely can't understand why anyone would opt out unless they believe you need your body in the afterlife.

My DH's mum died when he was in his teens because of a lack of a suitable organ donor. I genuinely can't imagine a more wonderful thing to give someone than a second chance at life.

Also imagine your heart “living on” in someone else.

Surely that would be more comforting than it lying in the ground or burnt to ashes.

I’ve looked at quite a bit of information yet would say in many areas I’m confused, for instance the NHS website says that organ donation will not disfigure or prevent an open casket funeral yet also says that hands and face can be taken. That doesn’t make sense! Anyway it seems I’m not currently eligible as I’ve had a tattoo in the last couple of months which I did not know about. I’m sure that many of the respondents would say that should rule me out of receiving an organ too as it was a deliberate act. I still say an advertising and information campaign would be a better idea than opt-out.