Organ Donation: You Get What You Give
Donorcycle brings up organ donor policy, and reminds me of the Spanish model of organ donation: if you want an organ, you have to be willing to donate one when you die. You have the right to opt-out, but this automatically places you at the bottom of the donor list.
18 people die each day waiting for an organ, and countless others spend months and years on waiting lists with incomplete lives.
I have to admit, the Spanish idea sounds appealing, but maybe a little too punitive. We could probably save all those people if we just had an opt-out rule, where you’d put a sticker on your driver’s license if you didn’t want to donate.
And by the way, the sticker isn’t proof, people. Discuss your organ donation status with your family, because ultimately they decide.
Thanks, that was a great discussion. Hey, I just found out through following some links:
Beginning in late 2006, Texans will be able to register their intent to be an organ, eye, and/or tissue donor when they renew their driver’s license or personal identification card.
This is great news!
hey:)
thats a good idea! when they wish to give u an organ, u should sign a paper, u`d be a donor when time comes… wow… thats great!
Graham,
True, the waiting lists are long and getting longer. But please examine closely the number of potential donors. Pay special attention to the way organs become available. There are fascinating issues that arise from such a discussion, on which I hope to post eventually!
best,
Flea
Permit me to be obnoxious and leave the following comment (particularly when contrasted to the serious comments above): With your statement “18 people die each day waiting for an organ”, I pictured tortured musicians perishing at their doorsteps upon realizing that an organ had not been delivered. (Sorry.)
Interesting idea…However wouldn’t people who received organ transplants be poor donors in the future? My understanding is that especially for the biggie- and most needed- organs (eg, kidney, liver, heart) you have to be in pretty good health- and someone on anti-rejection drugs, steroids, etc,etc would probably not be the ideal donor, right?
Christina–You’ve got it a little backwards. You would have to prospectively say, “If I die, but my organs are healthy, I will donate my organs.” It’s not that once you get an organ, you have to be willing to donate.
I also am a big fan of the opt-out system of organ donation mentioned in the link. Maybe that’s because I’m Canadian?
Kate
I am currently being tested to become a live kidney donor for a friend. People need to be a little more giving there are so many organs everyday that go to waste and could be saving more than one person’s life. Make sure you have a living will and that your family knows that you want to donate your organs.