I’ve withdrawn from organ donation register

[Purpledogcollar]

I give blood and have always been very pro organ donation.

Sadly I have just withdrawn as protest against reproductive organ donation. I can’t support it and am very conflicted as would like to donate other organs.

What are your views and is it a hasty decision (although not sure I would change my mind).

Sadly I have just withdrawn as protest against reproductive organ donation.

So have I OP. And a few of my friends.

Because you can’t specify that when you sign up to the register - or at least I can’t see any option for that

far far from being successful in men is less reassuring than I would like to hear ("it'll never be available for males")

Fair enough as long as you don’t expect to receive an organ should you need one. No one knows what is round the corner for us health wise. Part of the reason I am on the list is because I would want (and want my family) to have the opportunity to receive an organ if they needed one. Personally I feel it would be selfish to take an organ if I hadn’t been prepared to donate my organs too.
(I appreciate it doesn’t work like that, but I think it’s fair).

"Withdraw by all means, why you feel.theneed to tell anybody is beyond me.
I do hope you are as principled if you ever need to recieve an organ"

This

Well yes, because it's extremely regulated by the Human Tissue Authority who are not part of the NHS whatsoever. Anything taken without consent or without 100% meeting the law is trafficking which is a criminal offence. Look up what happened when 2 parents tried to bring someone they had paid off to the UK to give their daughter a kidney. Theyre in prison.

"Non-routine transplantsThe current system for organ donation in England does not cover rare or novel transplants such as limb, face or uterus donation. This kind of transplant is not routine and would require specific agreement from your family." So tell your family you dont want your uterus donated and trust them. My family know i feel strongly about that so I trust them to advocate for me if the time came.

I’d be interested to know more about what you’re unhappy about? A poster above suggests the fear is that your reproductive organs would go to a trans person but I can’t see anywhere you’ve said that? I haven’t opted out but the womb transplant thing has unsettled me - and this has nothing to do with trans people for me - it’s more about where the boundaries are in terms of what’s ‘necessary’. I’m undecided. For now I’ll opt in but to answer your question I think the whole point of a system based on consent is that you must consent. You don’t need to have reasons not to it’s entirely up to you.

YABVU to just ask the question without any explanation of what you are talking about, or links to whatever it is that has changed, or whatever it is that is making you make this decision

I'm not sure why it matters which organs are taken for transplant - I'll be dead, so won't be using any of them. Anything or everything that's left of me that is any use can go to anyone who needs them.

I'd rather any bit of me went to anybody who would benefit from it. it's of no use to me at that point.

I don't understand why anybody withdrew out of principle when it changed to that system, nobody I spoke to IRL about that was anything but positive! Many people must have just not got round to registering before, but people are not going to forget to withdraw if they are that keen on all their bits rotting/burning in the same box. Which is fine, I just don't know why you would just for that reason when you'd previously made a point of being a donor.

You cannot specifically opt out of reproductive organ donation.

The doctor who led on this week’s womb transplant has authored papers / carried on research on the feasibility of transplanting wombs into men.

It’s Frankenstein medicine and my organs will play no part in it, thank you.

Your choice to do what you want with your body.

I think if someone opts out of the organ donation register they should be way down the list if they ever need a transplant (or even excluded from the list)

(I’m opted out myself, but I’d never agree to receive a donated organ either)

Agreed

That’s because deceased donor uterus transplants are not currently a thing

That's not how medical ethics work though.

And she was happy to donate until they started using reproductive systems and donated blood. That also counts for something.

Reproductive organs are not yet covered by the organ donation programme - they require specific and separate consent.

If my womb or uterus could go to a woman who was unable to have children I would be more than happy with that. I can understand the concern about transplants to men but we are nowhere near that, I can’t imagine a situation anytime soon where the NHS are going to be performing that kind of operation as if it was a kidney transplant. From what I’ve read it seems highly unlikely this will ever be a thing, let alone a big thing. Seriously, what do you think the chances are of you dying and a man getting your womb? And I genuinely don’t understand why anyone would have an issue with it going to a woman.

I can’t understand why anyone who was previously willing to save lives by donation organs would decide to take that away on this basis. And I do certainly hope that if you decide to leave the organ donation register that equally you would refuse to accept an organ if you needed it.

I have no doubt that should transplants involving reproductive organs ever become common place there will be a way to opt out of donating them just like there is now for other body parts.

You cannot opt out of it because they cannot take it without your consent. It is not covered by the current laws and regulations. You are already opted out.

Lots of medicine is Frankenstein medicine at some point in its development. No doubt the same was said about heart transplants.

Last week (?) it was in the news that doctors performed a successful womb transplant.

It all comes down to your family consenting at the end of the day anyway, so you just need to make sure that your family are explicitly aware of your wishes.

This x100

OP - it says that even if you opt out your family will be consulted in the event that the topic of organ donation comes up. Could family override your wishes even if you've opted out?

I'm against the principle of using reproductive organs. Firstly, I don't think public money should be used looking in to this when so little is used for research into e.g. brain tumours. The funds used to make womb transplants happen should be used elsewhere IMO. Secondly, its a slippery slope into then using brain dead women as surrogates. Rights are chipped away at bit by bit and this is the first step towards some sinister future.

From the patient’s sister. It was a live related transplant. Not from a deceased donor. Very different ethical and legal framework.

My mum is a transplant recipient. Her donors gift saved her life and allowed her to see her grandchildren be born. We are thankful to them and their family every single day.

Your reasons are your reasons and ultimately it is your choice but I do hope, seeing as you feel so strongly about it, that you would apply the same principals should you need an organ one day.

I opted out for the same reason op. There needs to be clear options on what we do and don't want to donate.