For those sanctimoniously opining about opting out/in, you are entirely missing the point. If you actually believe that not opting out means that your body will be used then you are entirely mistaken. The key here is not that your body should be the property of the state unless you state otherwise, the key here is that everyone needs to have the conversation with their families in order that their wishes be known before they get to the point of needing to make that decision, in order that your wishes are more likely to be considered.
My family know my wishes, the state do not. And in the event of my untimely death,it will be my family who make the decision to donate my organs, it will not be presumed that. Am the property of the state. Ethically opt-out is an incredibly dubious road to go down, because it opens up avenues to all manner of other areas. Yes, right now not opting out could potentially mean that your organs are harvested without your next of kin being involved, but think about that for a minute. Let’s say that once opt-out comes into practice and next of kin wishes would no longer be taken into account, so when you are in that coma and pronounced brain dead the transplant coordinators can say “well, they’re not opted out of organ donation, so please say goodbye now,” and off you go to theatre with your heart still beating in order for your organs to be removed. Where does that end. Once the state have the ability to keep your body for your organs what is next? Scientific research? All body products become the property of the state at which point the next of kin are informed that “no, you can’t have the body back for a funeral, it belongs to the state by virtue of the fact that the patient did not opt out.”?
My family know my wishes to the letter. In the event of my untimely death my organs will still be considered for donation because they will make those views known. I am pro organ donation, I wish my organs to be donated, and yes, I have a condition which means I am likely to need a transplant in the future. But my wishes will be carried out in accordance with my family and not the state, and so I will be opting out.
Anyone who can’t actually grasp that fact is hard of thinking.
And in terms of not receiving if you’re not able to give, where does that end? “You won’t give your organs today so shouldn’t be allowed to receive one tomorrow? How about other illnesses? You had a termination therefore shouldn’t be entitled to IVF? It amounts to the same, no? You do sport therefore shouldn’t be entitled to Treatment for sports-related injuries? how about blood products? You don’t donate so shouldn’t be allowed a transfusion? How long do the medics have to check your ineligibility to be a blood donor before they allow you to have a transfusion? And how many lives would be lost waiting for that to happen?
Fortunately we make decisions based on need and not personal opinion.