Opinion Needed on Organ Donation?

Im in a sociology class and we have an assignment on a critical issue, so i decided to do my on organ donation. Ontario is think about making the province the 1st province of Canada to make it manditory for its citizens to be an organ donor unless otherwise stated. I think that this is an excellent idea. This would be that the patients on the recipent list would not have to wait 2 years for the right donor to come along. This is also good because good organ wont be wasted. This would dramaticall cut down the number of people that go to the black market to buy organs rather than waiting on a list for 2 years. This give more people a second chance at life. Less people would die waiting for a transplant.

I would really appriciate anyones comments on this issue.

Thanks

If people don't have the freedom to decide to donate their organs or not to donate them are their bodies goverment property?

that's a great idea

that sounds great...i wish more people in this world was like you.

i am absolutely all about organ donation. i have rallied all of my friends to sign their license to consent to being organ donors also. it makes me sick to think of all of the people who die daily waiting for an organ. i however do not agree with mandatory donation. this is getting too personal and i see lawsuits coming of it.

Although I personally think that everyone in the world should be an organ donor its a choice to be made by each person. I would love to see more people be an organ donor because like you said it would dramatically change the waiting list. I am an organ donor but that's by choice I wouldn't like it it the government TOLD me I had no choice. Hope this helps, you can use this in any report you need for school.

Interesting, this is the first I've heard of any place considering an "opt out" system.

Sounds good to me, as long as people with religious or other conflicts have the option to say no. It doesn't take anyone's choice away. If anything, it may make it easier to have your choice enforced--in the US, the family makes the final decision about donation. So even if you've said that you want to be an organ donor and marked your license etc, it all comes down to what your family says when someone approaches them at the worst moment of their lives when they aren't thinking straight.

What about minors? Are they automatic unless the parents have opted them out, or what? That's the only thing that I hesistate about, at least on first glance.

As long as it is voluntary unless stated otherwise I am for it. I am myself a donor. It is important to me to leave this world hoping that if one cell of mine can allow a man to see his grandchildren or a child to hear his mommies voice then it was all worth it. I hope this helps.

I don't think I would be too comfortable with people taking my organs just because I neglected to mention that i didn't want them to. In Florida they ask you "Do you want to be an organ donor?: when you're getting your license so you know what to say. But if it were mandatory and they didn't ask, I would remember to say "Oh I don't want to be an organ donor, by the way."

I think the government would use that to their advantage to catch people off their gaurd and take organs of people who otherwise would want to donate them.

Plus I always heard that if you are clearly identified as an organ donor, they try a little less harder to save your life. Urban legend, i know. Still weird.

Here are some reasons I'd consider for not making organ donation mandatory:

1) Corruption exists everywhere. How would we keep a sick wealthy person from causing a death either directly or indirectly in order to obtain a needed organ?

2) What if your faith forbids it?

3) How would you prevent a black market in organ sales and the unnecessary death of innocent people. If a kidney is worth $1m to a billionaire, how will any poor person ever be safe?

4) Who would profit directly from increased organ transplantation? Physicians, hospitals, testing centers, matching agencies, administrative offices? How would you pay for all of this increased activity?

5) Are you really free when someone else controls your body?


Just some things to inspire thought. Hope it helps with your paper.

Cheers,
Yack