Automatic organ donation

[Flat.tyres]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6902519.stm

I suspect that this might end in a poll and will be overwhelmingly positive.

I also suspect that it may be scuppered because of a couple of idiots bleating about human rights but I throughly agree with this motion.

basically, unless you specifically opt out, then your organs can be used for transplant.

as far as I'm concerned, they can have the whole lot when Ive popped and save my family the bother and cost of disposing of me :D

[Robinho]

i think its a great idea.

i can fully understand people not wanting to give organs for personal and religous reasons, but i expect these to be a minority, who, if they do care that much, would opt out.

for the rest of us, who either are for organ donorship, or what i expect is the biggest majority, people who don't care or have not thought about it, they will automatically be donors, vastly increasing the available organs.

for me, they can also have the lot, although they might not want my eyes, short sighted and borderline colour blind, i'm sure they can do much beter than that!!

[Loobylou]

'If they can use it they can have it' is my motto.

[Dave B]

I won't be needing any body parts where I'm going, so help yourselves. My liver comes ready-pickled, that's the only catch.

So long as there's an opt-out for people with genuine objections, I can see no problems with the idea.

[slinkster]

Yup, I don't mind this being passed in the slightest. It makes a great deal of sense and people who object have the option to opt out.

[Flat.tyres]

but you know whats going to happen. some "human rights" do gooders will argue that people at school who haven't bothered to read and right will be confused and may not know how to opt out :rolleyes:

Then there will be the people that object that will site the government woeful success rate with IT projects and the integrity of the data being held. couple that with data protection etc.

I really hope these marginal issueas can be resolved and something positive done for the needy of this country.

[schmenke]

The ladies will be pleased when my organ is passed on...









:erm:

[oily oaf]

They're not having my organ :mad:
Christ! It's taken me 8 months to learn to play "The Rose Of Traylee" in B flat minor after 18 pints of Guiness.

[BeansBeansBeans]

It's a great idea. And the opportunity to opt-out means that nobody will be forced to donate their organs if they don't want to.

Personally, I have no problem with donating my organs, but have never got my backside in gear and registered. I suspect there are many people like me, and the proposal would solve this particular problem.

[Lousada]

This is required viewing for anyone who thinks this organ donation business is all for the good of the country: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6_QMMCPBKg

[jso1985]

It's a great idea. And the opportunity to opt-out means that nobody will be forced to donate their organs if they don't want to.

Personally, I have no problem with donating my organs, but have never got my backside in gear and registered. I suspect there are many people like me, and the proposal would solve this particular problem.

exactly :up: I'd want to donate my organs but I'm actually too lazy to go and sign up for it, so I think it's much better to do it the other way round, you will donate unless you sign up to not do it

[Drew]

Who gets the money?

Also I don't want some drunk to get my liver, why do they deserve it? But if they take my heart and give it to some kid that was born unlucky, I'm all for it :)

[Rollo]

In the year 2057 when petrol is scarce and society has polarised even further, what happens if I'm in a car crash, and someone who is richer decides that they'd like my organs more than I would?

Taking organs from the dead is not a problem as far as I can see, but if you've ticked the box giving permission, will there be a legal set of circumstances to take them from the living?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Also I don't want some drunk to get my liver, why do they deserve it? But if they take my heart and give it to some kid that was born unlucky, I'm all for it :)

I wouldn't be to keen on some one like George Best getting my liver.

[Flat.tyres]

Who gets the money?

Also I don't want some drunk to get my liver, why do they deserve it? But if they take my heart and give it to some kid that was born unlucky, I'm all for it :)

as with all things, there is no guarentee that your liver will go to some poor little godsend that has tubes sticking out of hteir nose and is on the approved list for publicity with David Beckham.

so, yes, people with Liver damage and Lung damage through smoking and drinking will hopefully benefit from this law as will people with serious injuries from motoracing who wantonly destroyed some vital organ in a activity they know can endanger their life.

we also need to look at experimentation that can be done on live tissue that will benefit medicine as a whole. OK, so we may not need as many labratory rats as before but think of all the criminals these advances in medicine will help.

best opt out if I were you because there's no telling who's going to benefit from your spleen.

[LotusElise]

You don't donate spleens - you can live without one as long as you look after yourself properly.

For once, a new law is being passed that is sensible and logical.

[Mark]

For once, a new law is being passed that is sensible and logical.

It's not, it's a recommendation from the chief medical officer, it needs to win government support before it can become law and it's a very long way from that.

I remember my Mum has always said about the Donor Card thing that maybe if you are in a car crash and the doctor knows about someone who desperately needs a transplant, maybe they will not try quite so hard to keep you alive...

[LotusElise]

It's not, it's a recommendation from the chief medical officer, it needs to win government support before it can become law and it's a very long way from that.

I remember my Mum has always said about the Donor Card thing that maybe if you are in a car crash and the doctor knows about someone who desperately needs a transplant, maybe they will not try quite so hard to keep you alive...

I've just been watching a debate about this somewhere else. Doctors do not have direct access to the database of who and who isn't a donor at the moment and there are no plans to change that.

Even if it isn't a law, it's still logical.

[Flat.tyres]

It's not, it's a recommendation from the chief medical officer, it needs to win government support before it can become law and it's a very long way from that.

I remember my Mum has always said about the Donor Card thing that maybe if you are in a car crash and the doctor knows about someone who desperately needs a transplant, maybe they will not try quite so hard to keep you alive...

Doctors will still do their best for any patient.

[ShiftingGears]

"Organ donation is a generous gift, not an obligation "

I agree.

[BeansBeansBeans]

I remember my Mum has always said about the Donor Card thing that maybe if you are in a car crash and the doctor knows about someone who desperately needs a transplant, maybe they will not try quite so hard to keep you alive...

Sounds like scaremongering on your mother's part.

[Flat.tyres]

"Organ donation is a generous gift, not an obligation "

I agree.

could say the same about unemployment benefit :D

[schmenke]

...so, yes, people with Liver damage and Lung damage through smoking and drinking will hopefully benefit from this law as will people with serious injuries from motoracing who wantonly destroyed some vital organ in a activity they know can endanger their life....

True, but correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't potential organ recipients evaluated for their estimated success rate for the transplant? Someone with poor health to begin with will not necessarily be on top of the waiting list because they may not benefit from the transplant as well as someone who is in better health.

[Larsen]

Considering that im actually currently on the transplant waiting list for a kidney, this would obviously go down well with me, i think this would be a good insight to whats it like being in this situation.

I suffered kidney failure last year in late February and i can tell it was not the most pleasant experience i have ever been in. The doctors gave me 3 options that i had in regards with continuing on with a normal life.

The first one was a treatment called Hemodialysis which basically is being connected to a machine for 4 hours 3 times a week at your local general hospital or at home if you can brave putting needles into your arm. What basically happens is that the machine takes out your blood and cleans it of all the bad stuff and puts the blood back into your body again. Its a continuous system obviously

The second one was Peritoneal dialysis which again is basically being connected to a machine but you had to dialyse for 8-9 hours which can be done when you are sleeping. It does mean you have a tube coming out of abdomen that you use to connect to the machine and also leaves you having to carry around 2 litres of dianeal liquid. During the treatment, you would be using up to 5 bags of liquid. 4 of those bags have 3 litres of dianeal fluid whilst the last bag is 2 litres of extraneal fluid (thats 14 Litres altogether!) which allows you to not dialyse again till you go back to sleep. It doesnt involve taking blood out and cleaning it though, instead the liquid actually draws out all the unnessary stuff in your blood and after an hour, the machine drains your stomach and you get another 2 litres of liquid filled in after that. It does this up to 5 to 6 times.

The third option which really is the most normal you can get is actually a transplant.

Currently im on the second option, and i've been on it for a year already. I cant tell you how much this affects me in life, and it doesnt help when im only 22 years of age aswell. Something like going to a Festival would be a no no for me. Camping is obviously a no go, but anything like getting up close to the stage is also out of the question as you would risk damaging your line.

So getting the transplant over and done with would be like taking a heavy weight of my shoulders and allows me to get back to normal in life.

At the moment i've been on the waiting list for almost a year, the doctors normally say it takes up to 2 years before you have a transplant. But even then, they would have to make sure that the kidney has the same tissue type aswell as blood type as me. That cuts the odds of a transplant going through quicker alot shorter.

If we did have this system, it means for people like me, there is more chance of having a transplant done and also within a quicker time period.

I thought i'd post this message to give you guys an idea of what it is like for those of us who have geniune reasons for a transplant. Kidney failure isnt something i chose, it was something that unfortunately happened. It happens to 1 in 10 of us apparantly.

There may be the nay sayers out there, but for me this would be a second chance at life, So forgive me if i say, bring it on!

I hope this insight proves that something like this would be a good step in the right direction.

[Larsen]

True, but correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't potential organ recipients evaluated for their estimated success rate for the transplant? Someone with poor health to begin with will not necessarily be on top of the waiting list because they may not benefit from the transplant as well as someone who is in better health.

They actually use a points system. Obiviously if you were a healthy young person, the chance of having a transplant is alot greater than someone who may not be so healthy or getting on a bit. (to put it nicely)

[LotusElise]

"Organ donation is a generous gift, not an obligation "

I agree.

You can still opt out then.

[LeonBrooke]

In New Zealand our organ donor system is very stupid - when you get your driver's licence you can have it written on whether you want to donate your organs or not, but it's not official or binding - your family can override it at any time.

My driver's licence says I'm an organ donor.

I think that an automatic organ donation system is a very good idea.

[Flat.tyres]

Considering that im actually currently on the transplant waiting list for a kidney, this would obviously go down well with me, i think this would be a good insight to whats it like being in this situation.

I suffered kidney failure last year in late February and i can tell it was not the most pleasant experience i have ever been in. The doctors gave me 3 options that i had in regards with continuing on with a normal life.

The first one was a treatment called Hemodialysis which basically is being connected to a machine for 4 hours 3 times a week at your local general hospital or at home if you can brave putting needles into your arm. What basically happens is that the machine takes out your blood and cleans it of all the bad stuff and puts the blood back into your body again. Its a continuous system obviously

The second one was Peritoneal dialysis which again is basically being connected to a machine but you had to dialyse for 8-9 hours which can be done when you are sleeping. It does mean you have a tube coming out of abdomen that you use to connect to the machine and also leaves you having to carry around 2 litres of dianeal liquid. During the treatment, you would be using up to 5 bags of liquid. 4 of those bags have 3 litres of dianeal fluid whilst the last bag is 2 litres of extraneal fluid (thats 14 Litres altogether!) which allows you to not dialyse again till you go back to sleep. It doesnt involve taking blood out and cleaning it though, instead the liquid actually draws out all the unnessary stuff in your blood and after an hour, the machine drains your stomach and you get another 2 litres of liquid filled in after that. It does this up to 5 to 6 times.

The third option which really is the most normal you can get is actually a transplant.

Currently im on the second option, and i've been on it for a year already. I cant tell you how much this affects me in life, and it doesnt help when im only 22 years of age aswell. Something like going to a Festival would be a no no for me. Camping is obviously a no go, but anything like getting up close to the stage is also out of the question as you would risk damaging your line.

So getting the transplant over and done with would be like taking a heavy weight of my shoulders and allows me to get back to normal in life.

At the moment i've been on the waiting list for almost a year, the doctors normally say it takes up to 2 years before you have a transplant. But even then, they would have to make sure that the kidney has the same tissue type aswell as blood type as me. That cuts the odds of a transplant going through quicker alot shorter.

If we did have this system, it means for people like me, there is more chance of having a transplant done and also within a quicker time period.

I thought i'd post this message to give you guys an idea of what it is like for those of us who have geniune reasons for a transplant. Kidney failure isnt something i chose, it was something that unfortunately happened. It happens to 1 in 10 of us apparantly.

There may be the nay sayers out there, but for me this would be a second chance at life, So forgive me if i say, bring it on!

I hope this insight proves that something like this would be a good step in the right direction.

thanks for a great insight into just how this proposal will affect people and the potential suffering that will ensue if it is refuted.

Good luck and let us know how you get along.

:up:

[CarlMetro]

Once I'm dead they can take anything they like. In fact the undertakers will probably be glad to lose a few extra pounds from my coffin.

[Flat.tyres]

Once I'm dead they can take anything they like. In fact the undertakers will probably be glad to lose a few extra pounds from my coffin.

make a bit of room for your DJ equipment. how about "Going underground" playing?