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Organ Donation Opt Out

178 replies

BackforGood · 05/08/2018 20:21

News Link

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.

OP posts:
Stuckforthefourthtime · 06/08/2018 13:32

Can't see why it is distasteful to say that people who feel strongly enough against organ donation to opt out of donating have therefore opted out of the entire organ donor system - including receiving one.

My uncle always hated the idea of donating and gave similarly passionate speeches against forced donation, spread the BS stories about doctors trying less hard to save donors etc. Now he needs a new kidney he has dramatically changed tune, and personally I find the idea that he will be moving up the list while someone else sits on dialysis to be pretty damn distasteful.

glintandglide · 06/08/2018 13:33

What about blood donation stuckforaforthtime?

endofthelinefinally · 06/08/2018 13:41

I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect people who feel strongly to opt out of donating and receiving.
I have a family member who benefited from a donated organ and would have died without it. We were all very aware that there was a grieving family associated with the process.

My son was on the register but sadly it was too late by the time he was found.
I have always felt saddened that he didn't have the opportunity to donate his organs. He was a kind and generous person and it makes his death even more of a waste.

ADastardlyThing · 06/08/2018 13:49

I meant slippery slope because "opt out = don't get one" is a step towards some being more deserving than others full stop.

I'll donate my organs (the one I wouldn't donate isn't on the list yet!) because I want to help someone live after I'm gone. No strings attached, no caveats, no conditions.

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 15:00

I personally feel the same about blood donations & bone marrow. A relative of mine was adament he would never donate blood...when he needed a life saving transfusion he was very sheepish when i pointed out he ONLY received that blood because someone else was selfless. I just cannot fathom out the mindset tbh. If god forbid my 6 week old DS needed a transplant I would snatch an organ without hesitation were it offered to me. What right do I have to expect someone else to make the decision to donate their baby's organs to keep my baby alive if I would refuse to do the same? The 'im all right jack' attitude is what baffles me. If you know you would accept blood/bone marrow/an organ without any hesitation then in my mind you should be willing to donate.

glintandglide · 06/08/2018 15:13

I haven’t donated blood and had a transfusion recently. I’m not against donating blood but simply hadn’t done it. Are you seriously suggesting the theatre staff should’ve stood back and watch me bleed to death?

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 15:57

I never said you shouldn't receive an organ/blood if you haven't done it. I just personally believe it is an exceptionally selfish thing to deliberately opt out of donating if you know you would accept it without thought

DiamondsBestFriend · 06/08/2018 16:06

the thinking of some people that they would actually prefer someone to die purely if they wouldn't donate their organs in what would be (let's be honest," a hypothetical situation since you are far more likely to need Organ than to need one says far more about them than anyone who opts out, and not in a good way.

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 16:10

It's no different to a person who would rather their organs rot away in a box once they die than be used to help multiple people live on. I'd never stop a person receiving an organ even if they weren't on the register...but I damn well would think how utterly selfish & self centred they were. All for the sake of wanting to stick it to the government/be buried as they came into the world/sticking to some religious belief

Stuckforthefourthtime · 06/08/2018 16:38

Agree, there's a big difference in not actively donating blood (takes time, needles etc) and insisting that your organs be burned or rot after your death instead of helping numerous others to survive.

I donate blood and am on the marrow registry, but still don't think it's critical to do either. However, especially with an opt out system then I think if you have a personal reason not to donate that is so strong you'd be happy for other people to suffer or dyover it, then you should also accept that the same applies to you. It's not about being 'deserving', it's more like a union.

DiamondsBestFriend · 06/08/2018 16:38

@Pissedoffdotcom but there are people who have said that if you wouldm't donate an organ then you should not be eligible to receive one so yes, there are absolutely people who believe that people should be allowed to die.

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 16:51

DiamondsBestFriend but people who refuse to donate perfectly usable organs by default believe that people should be allowed to die, do they not?

ADastardlyThing · 06/08/2018 16:55

I think that's a very simplistic way of looking at it tbh, and this subject does deserve a bit more than a righteous harumph

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 17:05

To me it is simplistic. When you die, you have no use for anything. It either gets burned or it gets buried. To be able to give 4, 5, 6 people the opportunity to live on seems a no brainer. You won't miss anything. Your family don't visit your grave site to account for every element of your body as it decomposes.

I say this as somebody who has watched a close friend die whilst waiting for an organ. And as somebody who wanted a relative's organs to be used by the hospital as they needed...but was quashed by his partner's selfish desire to 'burn him as he entered the world' - i'm not disconnected from either side.

DiamondsBestFriend · 06/08/2018 17:15

but people who refuse to donate perfectly usable organs by default believe that people should be allowed to die, do they not? that is far too simplistic though. Because the likelihood of being able to donate organs even if you’re willing is incredibly small.

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 17:21

Why does it matter how small the chance is? It comes down to consenting or refusing. That's the basic start & end of it all. Regardless of how small the chance is, the chance is still there; if you intentionally refuse to donate, you are intentionally refusing somebody the chance to live

ADastardlyThing · 06/08/2018 17:27

Just out of interest what are your views on relatives who refuse to say yes to donating their loved ones organs? Should they be exempt from receiving a donor organ too as they have 'intentionally' refused someone the chance to live?

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 17:36

Just to clarify, i would never refuse someone an organ because they won't donate. I just find it exceptionally selfish & actually pointless.
Whilst i understand the emotional aspect of relatives having to make a decision about organ donation, i am still very baffled if they refuse. Do i see them in the same way as people who intentionally opt out of donation? Maybe

chantico · 06/08/2018 17:53

"nteresting 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"

AFAIK It has no detrimental effect on a heathy, living person, other than transitory discomfort. And if your body parts belong to the gift, this is the next step. Opt out makes me incredibly uneasy.

scaevola · 06/08/2018 17:55

"Just out of interest what are your views on relatives who refuse to say yes to donating their loved ones organs? Should they be exempt from receiving a donor organ too as they have 'intentionally' refused someone the chance to live?"

Of course not. Everyone should be treated according to clinical need. And if the NHS ever abandons that bedrock principle, it may as well be privatised, because it won't be worth defending. Need. Not attitude, income, or anything else. Need.,

mydogisthebest · 06/08/2018 17:59

I am not sure next of kin should be able to override someone's wishes. If someone has made the decision to become a donor and at the moment that means you have filled in a form of consent why should any relative be able to go against it?

DH is on the register but his parents are against organ donation. I know if it were ever down to them they would refuse.

The trouble is lots of people just don't want to talk about death, organ donation, life support, funeral wishes etc. Me and DH have discussed it all and both know each other's wishes and will absolutely abide by them.

My parents just will not talk about any of those subject so we have no idea what their views of life support are or if they would be willing to donate any organs (they are elderly so I assume there organs would not be of any use anyway). We also have no idea of what sort of funeral they would like, not even if they prefer a burial to a cremation.

I find it quite sad in a way. We are all going to die and not talking about death is not going to change that. I am more than happy to discuss all aspects but then I am not scared of dying

Pissedoffdotcom · 06/08/2018 18:03

I'm a touch hypocritical there. And well aware of it. I find it utterly pointless to have people opt in/opt out if ultimately the decision is given to NoK....but i would happily donate a relative's organs knowing he refused, were the decision given to me. I'd like it to be one or the other; either it is our choice, or it is NoKs choice.

Definitely communication is key. Everybody knows my firm stance on this, so anybody not wanting me to make that decision has ensured their NoK slot is filled by somebody else. Should I end up making the decision anyway & my grumpy relative haunts me as he has threatened...i'll continue to do what i do now when he bugs me. Ignore him

user1457017537 · 06/08/2018 19:47

The high turnover of organ donation nurses is probably because of the retrieval process.

reallybadidea · 06/08/2018 19:59

The high turnover of organ donation nurses is probably because of the retrieval process.

How do you mean?

Scrolblewomp · 06/08/2018 23:10

Don't take this the wrong way but to me I feel it's an easy way to be at the pinnacle of altruism, you can basically give the gift of life to someone with no more than the tick of a box. It has no effect on me if I do or I don't donate, since at such a point, should it arise, I will be brain dead. But it may not be that easy for my family, luckily the opt out system does respect their wishes so they can refuse to donate my organs.

I would also LOVE to be donated to medical science but it appears it's not that straight forward either.

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