[arnoob]

I am signing up to be a organ donor as a result of my driving license, I am donating my kidneys, corneas, liver and pancreas but for some reason something is holding me back to donate my heart and lungs Personally I do not think anyone should be automatically signed up for it.

[zara55]

(Original post by L i b)
No. I think it's utterly obscene for the state to presume ownership of a person's corpse.

It isn't about the state owning them, it's about making them available to other members of society. You may be against that, but it's a false and propagandistic argument to make out this is some kind of Libertarian struggle for freedom for dead bodies.

[L i b]

(Original post by zara55)
It isn't about the state owning them, it's about making them available to other members of society.

If you are talking about taking over the use of someone else's property, then yes it is doing exactly that.

[zara55]

(Original post by L i b)
If you are talking about taking over the use of someone else's property, then yes it is doing exactly that.

You just brought "the State" and "ownership" into it to make it sound like a politicised debate about freedom.

The state has always had rights over the deceased - for example, powers to retain bodies in case of foul play, powers over how bodies are disposed of, etc.

The organs are not needed by "the State" but by very ill people.

[HelenOn]

(Original post by L i b)
No. I think it's utterly obscene for the state to presume ownership of a person's corpse.

What a bizarre thing to say. Are you from Fox News?

[laseine]

(Original post by DavidTheYoung)
Are you an organ donor?

If not, why aren't you?

Do you think you should be automatically signed to the organ donor register at birth and only removed at your request?

I don't see why I would need any organs once I am dead so they're free to be of use to anybody once I die.

yep i have my donor card. maybe not at birth because that could be traumatic for people living like parents plus they aren't able to make up their own decision whether to opt out... maybe around 18. then people can have the option to opt out. then again it could save the lives of children...

[L i b]

(Original post by zara55)
You just brought "the State" and "ownership" into it to make it sound like a politicised debate about freedom.

The state has always had rights over the deceased - for example, powers to retain bodies in case of foul play, powers over how bodies are disposed of, etc.

The state has rights over all private property when there are criminal issues and extreme circumstances. This is not one of those occasions.

[Fusion]

I think the system should be the one that increase overall donations which is probably opt-out. The many people who want to donate but never get around to signing up represent an instant benefit with no cost (I was like this before I finally signed up), and those who are ardently against donation can simply opt out.


Customers are more proactive about things they disagree with, so following on from this one would support opt out.

[sammy-lou]

Opt-out for sure.

I think anyone that has seen a loved one die unnecessarily because they couldn't find a donor match would not argue this point. It is such a waste to have perfectly usable organs buried or cremated.

However I understand some people's religious beliefs conflict with this, so the opt-out option is entirely necessary and should be easy to do.

[madders94]

I signed up when I was fourteen, and also signed up to living kidney donation (although at the moment I think I'm more likely to want someone else's than anyone else being able to have mine ), I can't give blood at least for the time being and need to wait until I'm 18 for the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register, so being on the organ donor register really is the least I could do

[M4LLY]

I'm signed up

[murpo]

I'm signed up and a bone marrow donator. I would donate organs while still being alive if I was given money (Shame it's illegal )

[BishopBritain]

Yes, I signed up 3 months ago to be exact. I'm an adult and what if my family doesn't consent to donating my organ if I die, it's not as if they know about whether I have signed up to be a organ donor in the first place anyway so how would they find out? I'm also signed up for blood donation too.

[mel_1991]

I'm an organ donor, except for my eyes because that kind of terrifies me. I'd donate a kidney or such whilst alive as long as it wouldn't cause any severe health problems for myself.

Can't donate blood, I've been up to donate before and they said I couldn't because of my condition

[Thorax]

I've just signed up after reading this thread.

I kept talking about it, but never really got around to doing it. Now it's done. Took all of one minute.

I believe that it should be opt-out. But I sort of understand the argument against.

[Toneeh]

I am signed up for it. There's not much paperwork. All I did was tick a box and say I offered my details and then I'm done.

Also, I do not think it should be an opt out thing. Some people need to be buried with everything intact or they won't go on to the next stage or something. Others won't allow the body to be touched at all, even for autopsy.

The body is the one thing you will own that no one can ever take from you. It will always be yours and it should be your choice to give that up when you're dead. Yes, it's a shame people don't all donate but it should always be a choice IMO.

Also, did you know if you have a pacemaker when you die, you can donate it? Not to humans but to dogs? If I get it, I'll donate it when I die too, as it has to be thrown away if you get cremated anyways. Might as well give it someones beloved pet

[ameliahf]

If you are willing to accept an organ then in my opinion, it is only morally right that you are willing to donate your own after you have died.

[Rooster523]

to all the people who say 'I don't want people cutting me open if I die, it creeps me out'-

if a post mortem is performed on you, they'll take all your organs out anyway and if you're not a donor, they place them all in a bag (brain included) and sew them back up inside your stomach.

[Retrodiction]

(Original post by Delta Aitch)
I have a donor card and have chosen to give up my organs when I die, however if it were assumed by the state that I would give up my organs, I would take myself off the register. It's my body and I choose to use it how I see fit, for the state to assume rights over whether or not I give my organs isn't right.

So you would potentially let somebody else die simply so you can have a petty dig at the state that they'll never notice? What has the person who needs your corpse's organs got to do with the government?

[daniellelouise]

I can't actually believe that there are people here who would donate organs in the opt in system but not in the opt out system?
To say that the state are assuming ownership is absolute crap!
Do you really think that the only reason they would do it is to have more ownership over the people?
This is a matter of life and death, not pride. I'm all for freedom of choice and i understand why people of certain religions may want to opt out, but i think that having that as a reason is incredibly selfish.