Automatic organ donation

[Dee]

Originally Posted by Del Lardo

I'm pretty sure that you can't stipulate who your organs go to.

As Will has mentioned, I would rather my organs went towards research than to a drug addict. I am pretty sure I cant stipulate who they go to, that doesnt stop me having a good old moan

[Will]

It is still quite scary though how the shift in relationship between the state and an individual changes with this legislation... it does mean that the government are in charge of what happens with your body after you die in a way - they're sort of dictating what should be done with your body unless you opt out, so if you don't opt out "your ass is theirs" so to speak, by default rather than by consent. You're giving them consent without actually "giving" them consent if you see what I mean. Maybe that's the thing the Feek "feels"? I know it used to bug me lots - I still feel that maybe people should be made more aware of donor cards or becoming a donor when you die rather than make it a default rule? I'm not sure if technically it infringes on civil liberties - I guess we'd have heard by now if it was, I'd have preferred to be have been consulted on it though - still I'm not that passionate about opposing this idea as I have been in the past on other ideas, because this is ostensibly a more positive thing.

[Pheebs]

I am more than happy to donate my organs to anyone who needs them at all.

Whoever they are or whatever they've done - I don't think I could choose who received my organs - everyone deserves a second chance (all imo obviously)

Though.... I have said I don't want my eyes to be donated.

I know I'll be dead... but I have a strange thing about eyes... I just couldn't do it

Each to their own I guess

[Will]

I think that people should have their opinions and "quirks" taken into consideration. IF someone just doesn't want to have their organs given then so be it, it wouldn't make me cross if they received an organ to prolong their life either - but I'm quite forgiving like that.

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by Will

3. That's really a little over dramatic but I'm sure you were just trying to make a point, it doesn't have to be that complicated.

But then who gets to decide how complicated it would be? A strongly religious person should have just as much say as a strongly anti drugs person about who they see fit to receive their spare parts. Which is why it's not really a workable solution.

[iCraig]

I don't agree. Your body is *your* body, it's one of the few things in this world that is completely yours. It belongs to you and nobody else. Your organs should never belong to the state automatically. If you want the state to take your organs when you die, that's completely up to you, but it should be a pre-requisite that you own your own body unless you say otherwise. I know that if you do not wish to be harvested, you can opt out, but the principle is still there to which I don't agree with.

As for donating organs in the first place, again it's completely up to the person. It's their body and their wishes to what happens to it — even in death — should be respected. It's not always about religion, or superstition, as Feek says, some people just aren't comfortable with it and that's that. Personally, I'm set to donate all viable organs apart from my eyes. I know it seems silly but I'm really fond of my eyes and the thought of them being scooped out just doesn't sit right with me at all. The rest are fine though, but I can totally understand why some people just don't feel right with it and choose not to donate.

[Davey_Pitch]

I'm happy for pretty much any part of my body to be donated when I'm dead. If I can help someone live after I'm gone, then I'd die happy

[Desmo]

Just realised that I didn't actually comment on the OP, but this pretty much sums it up for me...

Originally Posted by iCraig

I don't agree. Your body is *your* body, it's one of the few things in this world that is completely yours. It belongs to you and nobody else. Your organs should never belong to the state automatically.

[Will]

Well this re-enforces my point, that you should have a choice as to who or what type of person should get your organs! However obviously this is open to becoming a duplicitous rule - however Istill stand that people should be able not to donate organs but still receive, no matter what their reasoning, whether it be religious or not. I seems one sided, but I don't see it that way, a person's opinion and "happiness" (although dead) is important to me. One may or not believe in the afterlife or for whatever reason that person may have it's perfectly justified for them not to donate, however I don't see why they shouldn't receive.

My point is moot anyway about prioritising who gets the organs, as kids and emergency ops tend to get the priority - I'd just be (if there is an afterlife or if I still had some conscious thought in some wierd parallel plane of existence) really furious if my organs had gone to some low life who had no respect for life.

[iCraig]

Originally Posted by Will

Well this re-enforces my point, that you should have a choice as to who or what type of person should get your organs!

Nice idea, but a lot of people couldn't be trusted with that in my opinion. Prejudices still exist strongly amongst many individuals and groups and having the power of life or death over other types of groups would be too good an opportunity not to use for pushing a prejudice regime. Imagine the registration process: "I don't want my organs to go to blacks and or gays"