Posted on 03/08/2005 3:49:33 AM PST by billorites
AMSTERDAM — Health Minister Hoogervorst wants to give priority on transplantation waiting lists to people who are registered as donors, but MPs slammed the proposal on claims it will introduce discrimination in healthcare.
The Liberal VVD minister defended his proposal by pointing out that Muslims often refuse to donate organs based on religious beliefs. This is despite the fact they are willing to receive an organ if they are ill. "That creates a bad feeling," he said.
"If you say: 'I refuse to donate an organ because of my religion, but I don't want to receive one either', than I will respect it. But I won't respect a one-sided attitude of receiving and not giving. I find that
problematic," Hoogervorst said.
After the parliamentary debate on organ donation, the minister said it is not just a few Muslims who refuse to give and whom are willing to receive an organ donation. It is instead a substantial group.
Hoogervorst said immigrants often have poorer health and will require a transplant more often than native Dutch. Due to the shortage of organ donors — especially kidneys — some 200 people die every year in the Netherlands, newspaper De Volkskrant reported.
The minister came to his conclusion in recent months during talks with medical specialists. At the request of Parliament, he will now draw up a detailed proposal.
Hoogervorst is considering a system in which registered donors receive extra points on organ transplant waiting lists, meaning they will get an organ sooner. The Cabinet has not yet determined its stance on the issue.
The Christian Democrat CDA and Labour PvdA led parliamentary opposition to the plan, but nearly all political parties expressed fears that Hoogervorst was introducing discrimination in healthcare. They are concerned that smokers and overweight people will also receive help later than other people.
But Hoogervorst rejected proposals to automatically register the entire population as potential donors, despite the fact that most of the opposition parties and government coalition partner Democrat D66 think that the system will yield more donors.
MPs will vote on automatic organ donation next week, but the proposal is not assured of a majority due to a difference in opinion between Labour PvdA and the Socialist SP party over the type of system to be introduced.
If I have kidney failure and say I am willing to become an organ donor, is it too late to register on the lists?
And would any of my organs be usable, besides corneas perhaps?
Mrs VS
Dangerous thinking.
Just because you say you will be a donor doesn't mean you will, at least in the USA. The doctors always consult with surviving family members, who may contradict the would-be donor wishes. What about that.
And a multitude of other snags.
I wrote on the back of my driver's license that I am not a donor. I also do not want to receive any organs.
If a donation can be made that does not require the death of the donor, that is fine. But when a donor must die to give, then people are actively hoping for a death.
This is the solution:
initiate the program
everyone who signs up within a three month period is considered as a group I recipeient. From then on, sign up at 18th birthday.
those who sign up after the initial period, or after the 18th birthday, are Group 2 recipients
all children are group 1.
those who are not signed up are group 3
Well, I'm a potential donor. It's already cleared with my family and I respect the safeguards that are already in place.
If the overwhelmiong majority of us are potential donors the supply of organs will be more than sufficient.
How do you feel about being a potential donor if enough snags are worked out?
How do you feel about being a potential recipient?
Many of your organs have the potential to be useful.
In my view there should be a priority given to people who signed up before they had a personal need, but those who say that they would never give, should not be allowed to get.
Signing up should be irrevocable.
Been out of touch for a while, but this issue of organ donations got me going. From many-one, your system of priorities is the first I've seen that makes sense. Priority to people who are willing to give, and of course children.
The trick, of course, is to get te system to be considered by the right people.
I'd sure like to be eligible to receive, and to be on the priority list. I like the idea of being a donor. I'm new at this. How do we get this idea to the right people?
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