NotoriousREV

I have to say, I'm a registered organ donor and I think everyone should be, but they should be by choice.

Me and the wife have discussed this and while I'm happy for them to harvest whatever they like from me, she'll let them take everything except her eyes, which she knows is a strange thing but she feels very strongly about it and if the worst ever happened, it's a wish I'd respect. For the state to trample all over her belief is an appalling misuse of Government powers.

D.K.1

Agreed Rev. it should be the indeviduals choice and more people should be registered IMO, saying that, I am not yet registered but have always said I would have no qualms about organ donation. I do however need to get registered

Odds on

Last time I told a bird my organ donation was compulsary, the old bill got the right **** with me How things change

NotoriousREV

We could donate Julia!

dpb

You can live without eyes, i believe

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

Hmm... the government says that it might be a good idea not to rape, murder and steal..

Pah! Big Brother, controlling my life! I'm my own person I can do what I want!!

I, I, I, ME, ME, ME.

NotoriousREV

I'm sure you can, but where do you think they get the corneas from for cataract operations?

Is there some reason you think that the donation of corneas and lenses shouldn't be part of a debate about body part donation? Maybe you wouldn't want anyone to donate their eyes to you if you end up with cataracts when you're older?

OllyK

I am currently a registered organ donor and blood donor, but it's my choice and I would be tempted to excersise my choice to remove myself from the register if the government decide to interfere.

Lee247

I can't see what the problem is. At the end of the day you are dead. Who really cares what happens to the body bits after. If there is no hope for me, then why not let someone else benefit.

warrenm2

I'm with UB on this one. The whole idea that my body automatically belongs to the state after my death is a fundamental breach of liberty. I am totally opposed to this idea - however well-meaningly its dressed up.

I also carry a organ donation card, because its free choice. Its worrying how people on Scoobynet are so blaze about losing freedoms and liberties one by one that people gave their lives for in order for you to be free. You are slowly being enslaved day by day. Orwell wasn't a story teller, he was illustrating where socailism leads, and look how right he is turning out to be. Can you think of one thing that has improved in this country over the last 10 years (that is not a result of capitalism)?

Chris L

I'm a registered donor - personally, if I'm unlucky enough to cop it and some bit of me could help someone else then so be it. All my family are aware of the decision and that's fine. I can understand if there were religious reasons and if people really don't want to, then opt out. As long as there is that option then I don't really see the problem.

I think the CMO who made the call today only said it because of the desperate state of organ donation in the UK. I'm no fan of government motives but I really can't see what they will gain by having this rule in place - other than to increase the number of organs. The CMO, although a government appointment is not a political figure in the true sense. His motivation is through the desire to stop unnecessary deaths.

There were some interesting stats quoted - something like 70% of people not having an objection to donation (the poll on the BBC website is currently running at 65% in favor of compulsory donation, but only about 30% of the population are actually signed up and that figure halves again because the organs are unsuitable. So to me it seems like a sensible idea to increase the chance of getting a suitable donor. It's only laziness or forgetfulness that is preventing a lot of people from doing it. If more people took the trouble to carry a donor card then this would not be necessary.

It's been incredibly successful in Spain, but apparently this is due to the large number of young people killed on their roads!

UB - I would suspect your view would change very rapidly if you were watching a friend of relative slowly waste away and die because no suitable organ was available.

speedking

I know how laudable it is to be an organ donor. But I funfamentally object to it being an opt-out scenario.

Why not an advertising campaign and a mailshot. Surely that would have the desired effect?

@84of300: You wouldn't mind if we just dropped your body in the river rather than being buried or cremated, you'd be dead after all.

Lee247

I wouldn't give a monkeys chuff, as long as someone benefits from my popping off.

Spoon

Well said, Chris L.

unclebuck

Well said, warrenm2

Lee247

UB, it ain't going to happen, so stop worrying. More people will opt out than will stay in so it will fail. I guarantee it. Me, I will stay in because I want to

Saying that, I am already registered, so matters not

falkster

I personally think its a good idea as the people that dont hold a donor card dont hold a donor card not because they dont want to donate but merely because you really havent thought about dying (IMO)....both me and my wife have started to hold a donor card since the shortages have been published!

Also I feel that if you leave the decision up to family/spouse etc they are too emotionally involved to make a rational decision so if it were to be compulsary unless you held a card saying it was against your belief etc then we wouldnt have the shortages that we are seeing at the moment!

I also feel that it is selfish that we shouldnt help others after we have gone!! Imagine parents/spouses of families knowing their family member has to die because we wont give them the chance even after our family member has gone!!

It should give us some sort of satisfaction knowing that we have helped someone else prolong their life!!

CrisPDuk

I am a registered donor, but I don't agree with making it compulsory The government play far to big a role in our lives already

I also don't agree with the current requirement for your next of kin to give consent even if you were carrying a donor card either, but that's a whole other subject.

falkster

Right, so if you havent got a donor card and someone in the next ward is dying and your death could help them live what do we do??

NotoriousREV

Are you saying you're relatively healthy? Do you think that the NHS would kill someone who has a reeasonable chance of survival to then harvest your organs for a patient at death's door (remember, a transplant is a VERY expensive operation and aftercare is not exactly cheap either).

Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?

StickyMicky

i`m registerd, i think i "joined up" when i passed my driving test, i do remember my dad kicking off because i registerd to be a donor

no religion involved, the parents just dont want anything to do with it ?

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

I think putting everyone on the list (with the option to opt out if desired) to begin with is a great idea! There must be millions of people who wouldn't mind helping someone live a better life after their death but have just not got around to signing up. If you don't like it then sign out of the scheme! What's the problem? How many people could have lived or had their quality of life improved if these people would have got around to adding their name?

Any of us could be on the list to need a transplant, I think it is very hypocritical to allow yourself onto that list without being on the donor one to begin with.

Putting yourself on the donation list makes no difference to you, but can to many others.

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

That pretty much sums it up I think.

NotoriousREV

When I was a kid my dad worked for the NHS and they were trying to get people on the registered donors list. My parents sat me and my sister down and explained exactly what a donor was and how it worked and asked us if we wanted to go on the list, I think I was about 5 years old. After double checking that they'd only take my body parts after I was dead, I agreed quite happily.

Hol

iTrader: (1)

Isn't this issue really about taking away the persons ability to 'choose', rather than the morality issues in categorically refusing?

It seems to have gone off track a bit.

Refusal, does not make a person some form of 'second hand murderer' and nobody on here has a right to insinuate such a thing!!

However, if it can happen here on SN, with just a few posts of people feeding off one another, can you imagine what the PC brigade will do to it after two years of winding it up to a frenzy. Very sad.

'Man refuses to 'change his mind' on death bed - Recipients family to sue the government under the human rights act'.

CrisPDuk

Factually incorrect, putting yourself on the donor list makes no difference to anyone whatsoever

You could have 'Organ Donor' tattooed across your chest, but your next of kin can still prevent doctors from carving you up

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

Speed cameras, indefinate detention? What's that got to do with me donating parts of my body to potentially help you and your family/friends sustain a better standard of life?

If you feel so strongly about it, opt out. Simple. The people who don't feel strongly about it might be the same people who never get around to opting in even though they have no problem donating. This way I see it as being better for all, you still have the chance to opt out if you want to, if you don't then you don't need to do anything.

PeteBrant

I think an opt-out scheme is the the way to go - However, you should not have to justify your reasons for opting out, nor should any such information ever be made public.

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

Talk it over with your next of kin then. You should do this anyway!