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BROWN CALLS FOR PRESUMED CONSENT ORGAN DONATION
Monday, 14 January, 2008RELATED CONTENT
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Are you in favour of presumed consent organ donation? Dead patients in British hospitals could soon have their organs removed without doctors needing explicit consent to help save the lives of thousands of people needing transplants.
COMMENTS
First [1][2] LastWhat does it say about you as a person if you are against donating your organs upon your death, knowing that those organs can be used to give someone else a better life or prolonged life? I personally think it is the height of selfishness to not consent to organs being donated upon death, to offer to the living. Australia has one of the lowest organ donation rates in the world! Why is that? Are Australians more selfish than other country's? Unlikely, however, more education and awareness is needed to inform people of the importance of organ donation. Does a 3 year old child with failing kidneys want to hear your justifications about not donating because you haven't been asked for your organs?
Since when is the removal of tissue or organs from a person without their explicit consent not a violation of that persons rights?
No,firstly taking something from someone without their consent is theft? What difference does it make if they are alive or dead? Secondly, opt-out schemes demonstrate complete contempt for the rights and wishes of those affected. Thirdly, perhaps the pro-donars should ask themselves why their arguments/campaigns have not been more persuasive and then come up with better ones. Sounds like they are frustrated and want to enforce their will on others. Such schemes have no place in a democracy.
Im amazed, and surprised by the hostile reactions to this suggestion. If my organs were of any use to others of course they could have them (after I was dead of course). There seems to be a lack of imagination and compassion for those waiting for transplants, and their families living so anxioulsy watching as their dear ones get sicker, and still nothing can be done. How dreadful to loose someone when an organ transplant would have given them life, given back to thier famillies. A little more compassion please.
A system based on assumptions is one that betrays the people's trust. You would think that government could make people indicate if they like to be a organ donor when they fill out a form to register for a driving license or put the question in some other identification process. But no, let's just assume and forget about addressing people's fears and concerns about organ donations.
I was wondering when Gordon Brown might start looking at Python scripts for his inspiration (The Meaning of Life)
What is the point of burying an organ that could save a life? It will obviously not be used by the dead body.
The plan sounds desperate to me. How can organs be automatically removed? Disgusting!
PM Mr Brown has got it 'arse about face'. He's a bigger clown than Blair.
Explicit consent should never be used because it assumes you agree to something you may not even be aware of.