Opting out of organ donation

[ringme]

So the law has changed and this spring the NHS will consider you to be an organ donor automatically if you don’t opt out. I haven’t had a chance to really consider this all yet, WIBU to opt out at this stage until I have time to think about it or is that a selfish move given that 408 people died last year waiting for a donor?

What will you be doing?

www.organdonation.nhs.uk/helping-you-to-decide/about-organ-donation/faq/what-is-the-opt-out-system

It is right that people should be able to opt it but I think this change is long overdue. I have been on the donor register for many years and my husband and children are also on, but there are not currently enough donors.

The 17 year old child of friends of mine was killed in a car accident a few years ago. I think 14 separate people benefited from their organs. Friends said it helped to know that some good had come out their child's death.

I believe that in a system that is fundamentally reciprocal, you either participate or you don't

Do you think those that haven't donated blood (but who could have) should bleed to death if they need a transfusion?

Would someone be so much of a dickhead about having a disease organ removed?
Miss you have appendicitis we need to remove it....wahhh I can't I need to go back in tact
Bloody hell

My beautiful grandma died too young and the only part of her that could be used were her corneas. I hope someone, somewhere, is still using them. I loved her so much and it means she is still alive somewhere.

I love that her eyes helped someone. It gave her death meaning.

If you opt out of donating, then opt out of accepting transplants. It is unbelievably selfish to accept and not give.

They can take every bit of me they want, then use the rest for compost. I'm not using it.

For someone who’s had a heart transplant at 19. I’m very grateful to those who donate their organs

Sorry to jump on this - I have signed all the paperwork and carry a donor card, but my mum has hinted that she wouldn’t allow my organs to be donated were I to die before her. Is there any way I can ensure she doesn’t have the right to veto my wishes?

@BoneyBackJefferson

Your examples are all crimes committed by individuals.

It is completely different to a system of many harvesting organs and storing them for research purposes like what happened at Alderhey. There was no legislation then; there is now.

You are simply scaremongering.

My son has a visual impairment caused by under developed optic nerves. He seems to have reasonable vision but I know many parents whose children are completely blind due to the same defect. Sadly it can’t currently be treated with a transplant but I would donate my eyes in a heartbeat if it would fix it.

He was also born with a rare endocrine condition - lots of the children need to have their pancreas removed, again another organ that’s currently not transplanted.

I’d give all my organs 100 times over if I could. All this pontificating and hypotheticals about reincarnation and what not is a disgrace. Adults and children are dying for want of organs we don’t need once we are dead. They are people’s parents and people’s children.

Do you think those that haven't donated blood (but who could have) should bleed to death if they need a transfusion?

Donating in one’s lifetime is very different to donating at the point of death. Would I refuse someone blood because for example they have a terrible needle phobia and can’t face donating blood? No.

Is there any way I can ensure she doesn’t have the right to veto my wishes?

Yes, you can appoint representatives to act instead of your family.

@formerbabe Do you think those that haven't donated blood (but who could have) should bleed to death if they need a transfusion?

If someone has actively chosen to opt out of ever giving blood and is on principle refusing to give blood then they shouldn't receive it either.

@modelthroughit

Your mother has no legal right to veto your wishes if you are a registered donor. Just ensure you regularly amend/update your details so she can’t use the “she signed up years ago and she’s changed her mind but forgot to de register” argument.

@SinkGirl Donating in one’s lifetime is very different to donating at the point of death.

This is also a very good point. Refusing to donate your organs when you have no further use for them - because there is no 'you' - is beyond selfish. It needs a new word to express the degree of egocentrism that believes your dead corpse has more need of your organs than a person whose life could be saved by them.

If someone has actively chosen to opt out of ever giving blood and is on principle refusing to give blood then they shouldn't receive it either

So the doctors would stand there watching them bleed to death because that person hasn't shown enough of a commitment to society?

How about murderers? If they're dying in prison and can be resuscitated, should we say this shouldn't happen because they've killed someone?

How about a drink driver in a car crash? Should we leave them to die?

You're on a very slippery slope here...

Whether the family has a legal right to veto or not, this is the situation as per the organ donation website...
If you die in circumstances where donation is possible, your family will always be asked if some or all of your organs should be donated. Your organs will not be donated without their consent.

This is under the “what happens if I do nothing” then “get more information” tabs.

@formerbabe How about murderers? If they're dying in prison and can be resuscitated, should we say this shouldn't happen because they've killed someone? How about a drink driver in a car crash? Should we leave them to die? You're on a very slippery slope here...

These examples have literally bollock all to do with a very, very simple concept, which is that you either opt IN or OUT of the organ donation system.

If you opt in, you can give/receive.

If you opt out, you can't give or receive.

(Oh and for what it's worth, in the real world, murderers, rapists and child abusers do quite often do get killed in prison, and no one is very bothered about it. Because they have indeed broken the fundamental contract of society.)

That’s if the patient is not registered, i.e. their wishes are unknown.

The family will be asked what they believe the patient would want. It isn’t about what the family want, although that’s taken into consideration.

If the patient is a registered donor, i.e. their wishes are known and there’s no evidence to suggest they might have changed their mind the family can’t veto it.

@MGC31

So no real answer then?

Just a slap down.

If you don't know just say.

If you opt out of donating an organ, you should be banned from receiving one. Seems fair to me

I agree with this. People have every right not to donate their organs but if they dont, then why should they benefit from someone else donating? I think if you dont donate then you also dont get.

It really annoys me that family have the final say.
I opted in and received a card and carried it everywhere as it is something I feel passionate about. However when I found out it was ultimately down to my family and had a word with them about my wishes my mum said she couldn’t promise me anything.
It’s my body and I should have autonomy on it, not my bloody mother!

If the patient is a registered donor, i.e. their wishes are known and there’s no evidence to suggest they might have changed their mind the family can’t veto it.

It also says that the family’s permission will still be sought and that if your family will say no, you need to appoint other representatives.

When I saw the ad about this I must admit to feeling disturbed. I don't know why, I am not religious (are there religions that instruct you to stay intact?), I don't think I am a beautiful piece of art that should be preserved as I lived in life, but I just felt disturbed and uneasy. I am not sure I would have done anything about it but it did cross my mind to opt out.

However, reading this thread, I have changed my mind. I would accept an organ from somebody, so it is an incredibly selfish not to reciprocate. There are not many threads on here that make me change my mind, but it has happened this time.

Sure, and if you haven't paid enough in tax you should also not get the operation or medicine you need.

Don't give don't get, eh?

The NHS is not a reciprocal system and I for one am very glad we live in a society where we don't leave people to bleed to death on a hospital trolley because they haven't donated blood or let them die in the road because their NICs aren't enough to cover the cost of an ambulance call out.

I agree we need more organ donors but some of you really need to have a think about what you're proposing when you say you want to exclude people from healthcare because they have a different set of principles to you.

@BoneyBackJefferson

You didn’t ask a question so there is nothing not to know.

I simply gave a response. You are scaremongering imo. I don’t believe your concern of organ harvesting as a consequence of having an opt out system is realistic or plausible in this day and age.

So the doctors would stand there watching them bleed to death because that person hasn't shown enough of a commitment to society

Where do you think this endless supply of organs is coming from??? there are currently 6000 people on the waiting list for organs in the UK. If someone has an accident and bleeds to death they won't be getting an organ will they? there won't be time to get the organ to them and transplant it (in an operation that takes HOURS) if they are bleeding to death will there?