Organ donation: Should consent be presumed?
Many people in the UK will have to deal with the prospect of a loved one requiring an organ transplant at some point in their lives.
Lucy Siegle has been looking into the debate for 'presumed consent' for organ donation as a way to increase participation. Currently, people wishing to donate their organs must first sign up to the organ donor register.
Under new proposals for 'presumed consent,' it would be assumed automatically that everyone has agreed to organ donation, unless they have previously opted out. It is hoped that this would reduce the massive shortfall in organs required for the 8,000 to 10,000 who currently require an organ transplant.
However, there are concerns that 'presumed consent' may not boost donation rates as previously thought. The UK Organ Donation Taskforce was set up to investigate and found that even if consent is presumed, families would still be able to refuse organ donation. This would lead to fewer new take ups that originally thought.
Regardless of whether the system is implemented or not, what's clear is that it's advisable for those wishing to sign up to the Organ Donation Register to speak to their close family members about their decision, so they're well informed of their request beforehand.
Should consent for organ donation be presumed?
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No. It has been conclusively proved to be ineffective in increasing organ donation. End of story.
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in 1995 i donated a kidney my brother and now he has three get the family to do the test thats all it takes im still alive on one kidney almost 15 years later
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cheers
mark
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My wife is watching the show as I type , waiting for a doner , after she in turn was the first child transplant patient in the uk in 1970, and had 38 wonderfull years untill her doner kidney failed.
Darned right we should change the system
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I'ts all well and good people crying out for donors as there are shortages of organs and bone marrow.
i've been on the organ donor register for years and the bone marrow for the past 4 or so and i haven't been called up once to be tested, so that says to me they are not that desprate for donors if they are not asking for me to be tested.
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This is the best idea in ages to many family member look to there own feeling instead of the person who wants to donate I am on the register and have been since it came available bets losing the card
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3. At 7:10pm on 01 Oct 2009, you wrote:
My wife is watching the show as I type , waiting for a doner , after she in turn was the first child transplant patient in the uk in 1970, and had 38 wonderfull years untill her doner kidney failed.
Darned right we should change the system
GEOFF FORSTER
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I personally think its a bad idea.
And my family feel exactly the same way.
I think the government should pack in all their silly ideas.
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I do not agree with organ transplants. With presumed consent I feel bullied into a situation where people will ignore my wishes. We may be taken to hospital when our details are not to hand (eg personal details lost during accident).
If presumed consent comes in and any of my organs are touched there will be instructions in my will to take all concerned to court!!!
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I recently obtained a new photocard driving license. I ticked the box to state I wish to donate organs, but this is not reflected anywhere on the license. What a waste of an opportunity. Show it on the license and that should be enough without having to ask relatives!
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hate to be cynical but if everyone who died had there organs harvested for donation (which they should) - could the NHS afford to carry out all the necessary transplant operations?
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ANY REASONABLE PERSON IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WISH IT FOR A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER.
THE ONLY ALTERNITIVE IS DEATH
GEOFF FORSTER
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I think that if you are not willing to be a donor you sould not be able to accept a organ
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Sad to say I doubt I would give consent again as we did this three years ago for my dear sister who died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. For very personal reasons we, as a family, decided only to donate her kidneys and the Transplant Co-Ordinator left us feeling as if we were being almost 'selfish' and inconveniencing the surgial and transplant retrieval team by not donating all organs. I am not speaking from a position of ignorance as I am an ex ITU nurse and have been on both sides of this awfully sad event for other families and know how they should be treated. I have often been the one counselling them and feel betrayed that our experience was so upsetting. I support others in their decision to donate and hope by posting this comment it will cause medical professionals to reflect and respect family wishes which they may not understand.
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Should people not on the register be given organs from people on the register?
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I totally agree with presumed consent,and I also think that the family of anybody who has not opted out should have no say in whether organs are used.
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Last year my late partner, Bill, died suddenly following a brain heamorrhage on Easter Day, aged 56. We both signed up on the NHS Donor site. Up to 30 people benefitted from his donations including a lifesaving liver transplant for a 67 year old mand and a heart valve replacement for a 25 year old man. A lady benefitted from his kidney after 7 years of dialysis. Up to 25 people will benefit from bone and also the lives of diabetics will be improved due to the donation of islet cells. The donations did not bring me comfort but I know that his sudden and untimely death was not a waste and brought life to others.
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MY wishes should NOT be tampered with after my death by ANY of family or next of kin..If you make your donor wishes being of sound mind and written and documented,then that is YOUR wish NOT anyone elses.It is not their wishes that have to be completed it is your's.
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I basically agree with organ donation,however I am not an organ donor at this time. I think donating organs is a gift and not a 'must do'~it should never be assumed that everybody wants to make this gift! Many good people have very valid reasons to not agree to donate their organs,for example their faith does not 'permit' such things.
I have my own reasons for not wanting to donate my organs/body after I die,but I would agree to being a living donor if such a situation were to come up.
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Please dont publish my name.
My wife has just this week been placed on the kidney transplant list.
On the show tonight you make no mention of the possibility of live donations for kidney transplantation.
Presumed consent is OK but more needs to be made of the live donations.
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I think it's possibly a good idea, but not sure from a spiritual side, because we don't know how long consciousness can perceive the physical sensations after death.
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cardiomegaly, please do not let your opinion be changed by one member of staff. My daughter had a liver transplant this year when she was 5 years old. I would be furious if I thought the donor family had been treated badly but remember how wonderful a gift your loved one gave. My daughter was close to the end of life when she was given an amazing chance to start again. She is a different child now, she is a miracle child. Every day I thank her donor for giving her a chance at life. You can watch her transplant journey here... http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=83bc84630e03fcb8f51b6c
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My husband has mesothelioma (lung cancer caused through asbestos) which is terminal and he has already put in place and signed the paperwork for his corneas to be donated after his death. As he is diabetic ,suffered a heart attack in the past and has had Chemotherepy his corneas are the only thing he is able to donate. His hobby is photography and he says someone else will be able to see the world through his eyes and this brings comfort in some ways to us both. We strongly believe in organ donation but have great empathy with the families when they need to make this huge gift. Though we do not believe consent should be presumed.
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I was able to agree to the donation of my late husbands eyes. As he had been very ill I felt a little of him lived on to help another and it comforted me. I think it would help if it was made very clear how to join the donor register.
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Should consent be presumed?...yes ,cannot think of a sensible point against this.
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I have signed up to donate all my organs as it is so important to help other people live. Please join the register, it is simple to do and do not forget to share your wishes with your family.
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Presumed consent is just plain wrong ~and so is 'presumed acceptance' of a donated organ.
I am a reasonable and caring person,and I understand PERFECTLY how desperate so many people are and why,but 'Organ Donation' should always be exactly that: a donation -a GIFT.
The living donor option should be explored more,but one hears very little about that -too little!
I resent the notion that just because a person does not agree to have his/her (or a loved one's!) bodyparts harvested they are somehow not caring,sensible,reasonable,or are not in their right mind!
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I am a Singaporean and our system works on presumed consent unless one opts out in writing (Human Organ Tranplant Act (HOTA)).
2 years ago, at a well-established hospital here, we witnessed an ugly tussle between family members of a deceased patient and the hospital staff - administrative and medical personnels. Family members said that the patient was ignorant of the act and believed that he would not want to have his organs harvested as his religion requires him to die whole, with body intact. However, the hospital, went ahead to arrange for the harvesting medical team and the implantation team. The family members pleaded, knelt down before the hospital staff, cried, begged. They were so adamant that they would not allow anyone to remove the body. Hospital staff then brought them into a room for family conference (or tricked them) while they push the body into the theatres (running out of time as the organ recipient is in the other theatre). However, while on the way carting the body into the theatre, one of the family member happened to catch the staff in action and a physical tussle ensued. More shouting & crying were heard. The family members then formed human gates to block entry into the theatres. Many healthcare personnel were stunned, many cried. It was a moving scene. Which side will you be on?
I think the presumed consent is not a good one as many ignorant people (also those disadvantaged eg. lowly educated, poor,etc) may unknowingly become donors, not out of free will. Isn't this as good as being tricked? To encourage organ donation (opt-in method), requires education, information and persuasion. I think this is a basic necessity - informed consent. This is a basic right of people.
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While I would be happy to donate the bits of me that I am not using, that being all of them if I am dead, I do know that my wife would not be willing to donate. While we have differing views, when she dies, if its up to me I would have to respect her wishes and not donate her organs. It would be difficult, but then it will be difficult for her should she need to make the decision for me.
No, organ donation should not be presumed, but more publicity about donor cards might help. I have not seen one around for the past decade, probably more. I know where to get one if I want one, but they are not on the counter at the supermarket, etc, so people have to make an effort to donate, rather than an effort not to.
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I think after you hit 18 it should be presumed consent. Im on the organ register. If you don't want to be on it make the effort to opt out if you feel that strongly about it. If you are too lazy to not opt out then you mustn't feel that strongly about it.
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