Donor consent law is being changed...

[flirtygirl]

Aibu to have expected more information before they changes the law, did they do a consultation? I feel miffed that it is now going to be deemed consent and you have to opt out.

But what if the system is down or the opt out which is digital and online, did not get stored properly? What about when you move and change address? Do you have to tell every medical practitioner manually as well?

There is no info it seems on what this will mean. If you have info or any helpful links please let me know, thanks

Of course they will, I’m just stating that it’s by no means a magic bullet.

As for wanting another five years, would you want that at any price? Because again it’s not that simple. I may not need a transplant for some years, but my health is already seriously compromised. Nearly three years ago I fell seriously ill, spent time in a coma, came through it and now need one type of surgery first to give me a better quality of life before my heart fails for good. But you know what? In those past three years I have lost all of my independence, all of my stamina, I can no longer work, hell I barely make it outside my front door. Will surgery change that for me? I hope so but who knows. But you know what? If I’d known three years ago what I know now I don’t think I would have opted to have these past three years. That doesn’t mean I in tend to do anything about it now fwiw, but if I could have turned back time and known just how much my life would have been impacted, I maybe wouldn’t have bothered ringing for that ambulance after all.

Sometimes just living isn’t enough.

I opted out online and it takes up to 10 weeks for them to confirm. That in itself is worrying.

Thank you Clara.

If I’d known three years ago what I know now I don’t think I would have opted to have these past three years

I'm sorry that you had to go through all that and, if I could somehow change it, I would. But, put almost insultingly overly simply, I view life like cooking: having a go is never a bad idea, it might prove to be a waste, either due to your own personal failings or factors beyond your control and there's definitely going to be effort involved but, if you don't try, you'll have no chance at all of tasting something new and delicious.

Flirty girl “receiving blood or a transplant would be a fate worse than death”???!!!! Wtaf? Actually, for most people it’s life saving and life changing. What a stupid comment. Are you seriously saying that if your child needed a transplant like my DD needed a kidney, you’d refuse and let them die? I’d bet my life you actually wouldn’t. Your comments are bizarre.

For those talking about side effects of the medication required post transplant, in my experience they are negligible. She’s a bundle of fun, bright as a button, a picture of health and is hardly ever poorly. I know this isn’t always the case and I’m truly sorry for those for who it doesn’t work, but I feel I have to counter some of the sheer negativity on here.

If you opt out of giving you should automatically be opted out of receiving so someone more worthy, in terms of being a more decent person, should get it.

If anyone was on the fence about donating their organs it is shit like this that would likely turn them off.

Donation is a gift. I want to donate my organs because I want to help someone to live if I am in the position to do so. It's not some tit for tat situation. No one has a right to my organs and when you start saying people shouldn't receive if they don't give then it sounds more like a business transaction than a gift.

Medical treatment is never based on morals. If you are happy to see people being automatically opted out of receiving an organ if they aren't willing to donate themselves, then you have to be OK with people not getting other medical treatment if you deem them not to be worthy, moral people?

What a shit storm that would be.

Think about what you are saying and what this would actually mean.

This new change isn't going to make fuck all difference and no is all the 'you are selfish and shouldn't receive an organ yourself' talk.

For those talking about side effects of the medication required post transplant, in my experience they are negligible.

That is not true for all and it is not 'negativity' to say so.

Nc as this is outing...

I need a kidney transplant... but I'm against this change in the law.

It makes me deeply uncomfortable that whoever donates to me might not have 100% wanted to do it. It should be a gift - not just given as someone didn't realise they needed to opt out (yes, most people will know.. but not everyone). Human life is incredibly precious and I do not think we should be treated as if the state owns us. It has genuinely made me questions whether I could accept it (although as a woman in her twenties who desperately wants her life back and the chance to be a mum, there's only so far my morals can stretch ).

Having said that, I would still encourage everyone to donate their organs - it's an amazing thing to do! I'm just uncomfortable with this. Unfortunately I think my body has probably been ruined by kidney disease so they probably wouldn't want any of my organs, but I would happily donate if I could (I also can't give blood due to having transfusions and my kidney disease).

For those having a wobbly about their body 'belonging to the state' after they die:

It's a dead body. Not a live human being.

They won't be sneaking into your bedroom with a scalpel.

WeirdCatLady and victoriabun

Please reconsider about donating your eyes (which would actually be your corneas). My husband has had a heart transplant and as a result we had a lot of discussion with professionals around the transplant process. Apparently cornea transplant is relatively simple and straightforward, no need for tissue-type matching and has a really high success rate. And the result is giving somebody the gift of sight.

Also corneas can be donated up to 24 hours after death so many more people could be suitable donors. However for some reason, people seem more squeamish about donating corneas than any other part of their body.

However I respect others right to choose for themselves and for their under 18s and I should be accorded the right to choose my way for myself and those under 18 in my care
You do of course have the right to refuse medical care that would prevent you from dying. But I don't think parents should be allowed to let their children die for their beliefs. If I hit my child or don't feethem, leave them unsupervised and in danger, if I didn't let them sleep or kept them from going to school, that wouldn't be ok and the state would have a responsibility to step in. Why should It therefore be OK to refuse medical life saving medical treatment when the child can recover to a decent quality of life? End of life care and withholding treatment in those cases is totally different, obviously

I thought this changed like 2 years ago? It is the right thing to do and everyone I know is aware of it (read the news?) it was even on the TV.
Think of all the lives that will be saved because people who don't mind but CBA to fill in a donor form are now donors! Those who are that bothered (selfish tbh) will opt out.

And the online system will be in a main frame - the internet isn't invisible magic dust 🙄🙄🙄 you only have to opt out once. If you're nervous do it a couple of times over a few years.

I believe that life as we know it now is finite and I often think that we are pissing in the wind with medical procedures to prolong life

I hope op never has to use a doctor or have a vaccine otherwise they would be a hypocrite. Sounds live someone wants to take us back to the dark ages. Religion anyone?

However I respect others right to choose for themselves and for their under 18s and I should be accorded the right to choose my way for myself and those under 18 in my care

MN seems to have this idea that there is something magical about age 18 and that up to age 18 parents can control their children's lives.

@formerbabe

Presumed consent is used in journalism when reporting on sex crime victims who have been killed or murdered children. If alive their names are anonymised but they're not of dead.

If you are in a horrific accident and need live saving surgery and are unconscious then presumed consent means the surgery is performed.

Should I go on?

@BlackPrism please do. It's nice to read something that's not total bollocks.

Yes, there are other presumed consents (although the one about when people are dead and reporting etc i think stems from the fact daa proteciton law only applies to "living individuals" and you can only sue for defamation when you are alive which is the reason the press then have free range rather than a consent.

Surgery - I agree which is why those people whose beliefs mean they would rather die than receive blood for example such as Jehovah's witnesses have a card they carry making it clear they do not consent and similarly why older people might carry a do not resusitate card and/or their last power of attorney that deals with what healthcare they may or may not choose to have even if it might prolong their life.

I might well give my organs but I want to make the choice fo I have opted out and will tell the children that as long as it does not prevent viewing of the body after death, not burial in the traditional way or interfere with funeral arrangements and that they have no concerns I might be killed off sooner (very unlikely) then they can make their own choice at the time for me.

@NoCauseRebel

Your analogy about working and paying tax works the other way too.

The vast majority of people on the donor list will never be able to donate because they will live too long or not die in the right way. This is the same as people who can't work and live on benefits. However, if the non-working person starts to work or inherits a loaf of money, they WILL pay tax on it. A person is not allowed to permanently opt out of paying tax regardless of their future circumstances

For me, the issues are

1. Presumed consent doesn't make your wishes clearer for NOK as you may have just not opted out.

1. NOK can still override your wishes

Who is your NOK? If you are unmarried, it will probably be your parent. What about all the people who are LC or NO on this board with their parents?

Are you separated? if you are still married, your ex will probably be your NOK.

How many of us are confident that whoever is NOK will a) know our wishes and b) respect them?

As long as NOK consent is required it won't make and difference what system we have.

The way to increase organ donation is to have more conversations about it. Make sure your loved ones know your wishes and if you have a complicated family, look at a legal way to clarify your NOK.

Your more likely to need a transplant than donate an organ. Fact

There are too many false comments on here. Again, if you don't want to donate then opt out.

Organs are a gift if someone wishes to give them, others want to donate for science, crime investigation, medical training. Frankly the world of science/medical training etc need the dead bodies and their organs to practise on much more. Training someone to medically treat someone for many years if worth much more than a possible 3yrs transplant.

Spiderbanana, under the new system, NOK will not be able to donate ypur organs if you have opted out. It is likely that they will still be able to refuse if you haven't and actively wanted to donate, largely because yp6ur dead body, if it is anyone's property post death, it is theirs and also because it is super unlikely medical teams would want to proceed against their wishes.

So for me it is unlikely that this new law will improve the rate of donation. It may give transplant nurses, who have to liaise woth the family after the death of the donor, more of an argument to suggest the deceased wanted to donate.

However the absolute effect will be to increase the amount of people that will definitely not donate

I pray this never happens to anyone BUT imagine you are in a car accident with your child. You and your partner die and your child is alive with severe organ damage, you are both a match but opted out so your child has to die. Unfortunately there is no one to pay for or visit your grave becuase you effectively killed your only family! I have kidney damage, bad eyesight and lung problems but am still donating my useless organs in case they can find a cure for anything dissecting me? I just can't think of a valid reason to opt out? If I see one in the future of this post I will eat my words, but I honestly can't think of any reason. Also if you opt out, you should be automatically on the bottom of any transplant list? So cruel that you can be selfish and still take someone's organs!