Organ Donation Opt Out

[BackforGood]

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Just seen on the News that it is hoped organ donation will become 'Opt Out' rather than 'Opt In' by 2020, if the change in law gets through the final stage in the Autumn.
About time, IMO.
It was changed in Wales in 2015
Research shows that 80% of people would be happy to donate their organs, but currently only 37% have got round to signing up.

People who choose to, would still be able to register to 'opt out' , but this will hopefully mean more organs available for the 6000 currently on the waiting list.

People saying that they are on the register but will opt out if that become law sound like stroppy children.

Agree. Can't understand why you would put ideology over the survival of other people, and frankly doubt the claims of those who say that they have lost loved ones while waiting for organs but still don't support opt out.
I lost a close family member who needed a transplant, and watching a young person die in agony because others want to be buried whole - or cremated whole, which somehow feels even worse, like starving to death and having to watch someone else burn money - was unbearable.

This is not a compulsory system, it's an opt out. The family then has a second chance based on their knowledge of the dead person's wishes. It's not forced donation.

Can't understand why you would put ideology over the survival of other people

Sadly, people do. All the time.

but you simply cannot sanction a system which allows treatment based on what you are prepared to put" in, because for one thing someone needing a transplant is likely to be faced with that reality ""aat a different poinrtime in there life when being a donor or not is not likely to be in their thoughtts.
And again, where do you draw the line? If a woman has a termination should she lose the right to fertility treatment? Should we all be required to be live donors of kidneys liver and sperm/eggs?

but you simply cannot sanction a system which allows treatment based on what you are prepared to put in

Again, sadly, some people do. And getting more so ...

Why should I have to pay for child benefit. I don't have any children ...

etc etc.

I am anti 'presumed consent' in any medical situation (other than life saving stabilisation of an unconscious casualty).

I include consent to donate in this.

I think some of the posts above, from those who think the opt-out system wrong, based on direct personal experience are anything but stroppy. This thread is getting quite an unpleasant hectoring tone, and I don't think it's coming from those who are describing why they oppose opt-out.

Presumed consent is an oxymoron. To obtain consent you must inform and ask permission.

I will be making sure I am opted out of this system.

Also, trying to vilify people who are worried or don’t want to donate their organs does nothing to help the cause of organ donation. Organ donation is an amazing gift, but it is not a right. It is not the responsibility of people who are reluctant to donate their organs to save other people’s lives.

I don’t feel I have a horse in this race. I have blood cancer which is incompatible with donating anything.

But would be interested to know if there would be a similar level of support for presuming people will donate bone marrow - something you do not have to be dead to do, is just as life-saving, and just as heart-rending to hear of people dying because no match was found in time.

*Presumed consent is an oxymoron. To obtain consent you must inform and ask permission.

I will be making sure I am opted out of this system.

Also, trying to vilify people who are worried or don’t want to donate their organs does nothing to help the cause of organ donation. Organ donation is an amazing gift, but it is not a right. It is not the responsibility of people who are reluctant to donate their organs to save other people’s lives.*

No- it is not their responsibility, but my god how selfish not to want to.
You would literally be dead, your organs are of no use to you.
I personally just cannot wrap my head around someone not wanting to save a life when there is no detriment to themselves - because you're dead!!

What happened to empathy? I can almost guarantee if you're loved one needed a transplant your views would change.

Out of curiosity- would you accept an organ if you needed one?

If people don't want to be an organ donor fine it's up to them. I don't understand why someone wouldn't want to but it's their choice.

However for people to say they are presently on the donor register but will opt out if the law changes are being petty and stroppy in my view. You either are happy to be a donor or you are not.

The whole reason for changing the law is because so many people just don't get round to giving their details to the register even though they would be happy to be a donor. Anyone who is really against donating surely will take the time to opt out? It hardly takes long does it?

@iVampire
Interesting point. I do think we need to do more re bone marrow and even blood donations. But I don't think they can be put in the same category as you would need to do this while you're alive, organ donation has literally no detrimental affect on the person donating as they are dead.

mydogisthebest you aren’t listening to those posters who are saying that they should not have to take any action to prevent their organs being removed upon death. It doesn’t matter how quick or easy it is, it’s a slippery slope.

The poster above made an excellent point- why should you have to opt out to stop yourself being forced into blood donations? Egg donations? Bone marrow? Its ludicrous to suggest that these could simply be taken on demand. The principle is the same whether you’re alive or dead.

Are you serious?

So after my last few sentences about vilifying people your immediate reaction is to call them selfish OrangeMarshmellow

You then go on to accuse people of lacking empathy, while showing a complete lack of insight and empathy towards the feelings and worries of anyone who isn’t pro opt-out.

Unbelievable.

I'll be opting out of donating certain organs if that's possible.

ADastardlyThing, when you go on the donor register you tick boxes as to which organs you are happy to donate. I am happy to donate everything as is my DH. My sister has said everything except her eyes.

The best thing to happen to organ donation would be to remove the requirement for relatives to consent.

My cousin died suddenly - was on the organ register - his parents refused and that was that.

If the person is on the register then that should be that.

I can't believe people who would willing donate their organs before would choose to opt out because the government are bringing in a policy to help save more lives. To be that selfish to make a point. So many people die because they never find a match and you would choose to let that happen on a principle? I can understand people opting out for religious reasons, I can even understand that some just wouldn't be able to cope. But to opt out just to make a point is disgusting. What is the world we live in coming to? My heart breaks for people on here reading these comments with children who are waiting for a transplant. ⚘

Why is doing it for religious reasons any different? It’s all part of your belief system.

Anyway under the system suggested here where you could only receive donation if you chose to donate no children will ever get donations

Why is doing it for religious reasons any different? Exactly. Fine, opt out if you don't believe in it but you can't then suddenly change your beliefs when you need an organ. That would be bonkers.

I would rather my organs went to someone that had ravaged their body with drugs or alcohol than went to someone that had opted out of donation.

Radio 4 did a program on organ donation a while ago, what I was unaware of was that you cannot donate organs if you have died, essentially you need to be deemed brain dead and be on life support for them to be harvested so your family have to decide to say their goodbyes whilst your heart is still beating.

I am hugely pro organ donation but I felt this gave an interesting angle on how brave your family needs to be and how it's not as straight forward as I thought it was.

Absolutely agree with an opt out system.

In fact, I think anyone who decides to Opt Out has to sign a statement agreeing that they will never be allowed to accept an organ or other body transplant in this country.

If you're not willing to donate should the worst happen, you shouldn't be allowed to accept, either.

I can't work out what's more distasteful, stipulating what sort of person is deemed worthy of receiving an organ or "not a donor = shouldn't have one".

Tbf it is a very slippery slope this opt out and while I don't agree I can see why some are opting out on principle.

Im all in favour with opt out. To all the people saying that they will opt out, fine, goodbye, dont let the door hit you on the way out etc etc. Ultimately, by way of lazy (and i dont mean that in a bad way) human nature (eg. 80% of people would be happy to donate their organs, but currently only 37% have got round to signing up) , there will be more organs available for transfer with an opt out policy than with an opt in policy even with all the people declaring they will be opt out.

I think it's more distasteful to know that people are dying every day from lack of organs unnecessarily.

I also think it's incredible distasteful to know you'd be willing to accept an organ to save your own life, or your loved one's life in the event you were struck down in an accident or with a disease that means you need one, but not be willing to donate your own in the event of your untimely demise when you certainly won't be needing them any more yourself.

Families do in fact need to be brave and remember what such donations mean to other families. I do not say that lightly: my family has donated my own father's organs, as he would have wanted, and also made the decision to donate my 3 year old cousin's organs after a tragic accident.

It was the right thing to do. Gut wrenching, but the right thing to do.

you know there is no argument when someone says 'slippery slope'. dead or hopelessly brain dead is the end. No after life, dead. If your organs ( provided by your creator if you believe in one) could help someone else, why would you refuse? want to provide more worm food or a bigger ash pile?

inability to donate is obviously irrelevant.