Posted on 07/17/2007 9:27:41 AM PDT by DancesWithCats
Everyone should automatically become an organ donor in order to prevent hundreds of deaths each year, the Government's chief doctor said today.
Sir Liam Donaldson called for a change in the law so only those who register their objections are exempt from donating their organs after their death. He said one person dies each day in the UK waiting for a donor and the change could increase the number of organs available.
The shortage is fuelling "transplant tourism" where UK patients travel abroad and often pay for a donor organ which puts them at unnecessary risk, Sir Liam said.
The recommendations were made in the annual report of the chief medical officer, published today.
Sir Liam said the wishes of the deceased donor should outweigh those of their relatives but admitted that where the family expressed strong objections it would be difficult to go ahead and harvest the organs.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Sir Liam Donaldson
I agree with this suggestion 100%. What a waste it is to cremate or bury people's bodies when their parts could SO make a wonderful difference in someone's life. My belief is that you're going to heaven where it is your spirit that will be whole and it matters not if you've left anything at all behind of your earthly body. To allow it to rot into nothing is such a waste. I sincerely hope that we adopt the same policy here in the U.S.
I'm so glad you have offered to donate all your parts.We will need them tomorrow !
Sorry. Not quite done with them yet. You’ll have to wait until I expire. Hope this isn’t inconveniencing you!
I’m curious. What gives Sir Liam, or anyone else, the right to coerce charity? When they do this with taxes, many scream about theft. But if it’s the body’s organs, then I guess it’s OK?
I’m being a little sarcastic, but the erosion of freedom (should this come to the U.S.) is still the erosion of freedom. That includes the freedom to be selfish.
well you can be selfish all you want by just signing an Opt Out card. Your choice. No problem.
Your response was predictable, and completely misses my point. I have not even broached my own stance on organ donorship, so that dog won’t hunt. I’m talking about freedom.
To reverse the logic, though... You are saying that a person should have to specifically state that they DO NOT wish to participate in an act of “charity”. Dictionary.com defines charity as “generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless”. Your standpoint is that you should have the right to be generous with other people’s organs...
Which is no different than being generous with other people’s money - i.e. through tax-based theft.
I think you’ll find that the same people who object to theft thru taxes also object to mandaatory organ donations, and vice versa. In general.
Why not an ‘Opt-in” card. If you want to be charitable, shouldn’t you at least have to make a minimal effort?
How about forced blood donation? After all, it would save many lives and it's totally safe and doesn't depend on the death of the donor.
I'll make you a deal - You pay me today the market rate for all my organs and I'll sign my body over so that on the day I die, you can have whatever you like.
Conversely, I have two good kidneys you, or whomever needs one, can have one in exchange for a new car for my family. A Chevy Suburban would be perfect.
Same with the liver - I have a good one and I'll give you, or whomever needs it, half of it in exchange for remodeling the downstairs area of my house. I'd like to move the kitchen down there from the upstairs - It's just too hot up there to cook.
Col Sanders
BINGO — thet’s a better idea. OPT-IN card.
I’d like to know why I have to call or write to opt outta telemarketing. In a few days - all cell phone numbers will be opened to telemarketers.
Oh - but you can OPT OUT by writing or calling some place. And the OPT OUT is good for 5 years.
Why should I have to do a darn thing to opt out? How about the dopes who want to be subjected to these things have to OPT IN?
Dances - I do not care what your opinion is on organ donating - keep your hands off mine!! Nobody has a right to take my stuff - dead or alive - whether it be the gov’t or you.
I’ve been able to pretty much wear out every part, they won’t get much from me!
There are 300,000,000 people in the US. How many functionaries will be assigned to process these cards? How will the info be stored and accessed?
Suppose you send in a card and are seriously hurt, a doctor has the "opinion" that you will not live, seeing how so many people need your parts, and the card has not been processed yet?
Suppose there are computer glitches? Name/number identity mistakes? Mean and/or vengeful, or profit hungry bureaucrat "mistakes"? Will each baby born be provided for a card?
Perhaps you should move the the United Kingdom; the IQ level here in America may be too high for you to be comfortable here.
BUMP!
3 posted on 07/17/2007 10:43:34 AM MDT by DancesWithCats
Who gets to decide ? The key and next question is :
Please tell me you're kidding. I already get about 150 spam emails a day. If they come after me on my cell phone I'm going to get a rifle and climb a tower.
So ... because I don’t agree with you I must be stupid. Yeah. There’s a good argument. And fear of mistakes? Computer glitches? So, someone who is, for example, blind or dying for want of a kidney ... should do without because people of your ilk are so scared to death that hospital personnel are going to be selling your body parts before your time, they’ll go without in a legitimate circumstance. I’m certain they’ll be several levels of safeguards that would be built in to any system of this sort. You want to let your goodies rot in the ground, help yourself. But personal insults because someone else doesn’t agree with you is just rude and unnecessary.
Ramirez is now able to answer yes-or-no questions, nod his head, give a thumbs-up sign, and sit in a chair
Oh yeah. There's life for you! He can nod his head. So you've saved this person for what? How many years of now living totally dependent on care, costing how many hundreds of thousands of dollars to the family if they have it, to the insurance company if they'll pay it or to the taxpayer if they don't, or to live absolutely minimally in a nursing home forever if the money isn't there for quality care ... sitting in a chair drooling for however long you can sustain 'life' at that level ... don't put ME in that position! Save me from your compassion will ya'? and just let me go ...
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