[foot-loose]

Righty - lets have a serious discussion today then...

People should automatically have their organs removed for transplant after they die unless they opted out while alive, Britain's most senior doctor is expected to say tomorrow in his annual report. Latest figures show that more than 7,300 Britons are on the waiting list for a life-saving transplant, a rise of about 30 per cent in the past 10 years. Surveys have shown 80 per cent of people are willing to donate organs after they die, but only a quarter register.

Full article

So what do you think? Personally, I see no reason why I could have a problem with my organs going to someone who can use them once i'm gone (although the liver, lungs, kindeys and heart are pretty screwed already!), but I can see how my relatives may not be happy with bits of me being ripped out.

As the article says - about 80% of people are happy to be organ donors, but most never get around to actually filling out the form. Is this a good way of getting around that problem?

Discuss.

[Console]

I have no problem with being an organ donor, what am I going to do with my organs when I'm dead? I think (although I don't know as I don't feel the same way) that the friends/family of a dead person don't want the body 'desecrated' (for lack of a better word) through some sort of misguided sentimentalism; they would rather the body look completely normal (or as normal as possible) for the few days until the funeral than increase the life span or living condition of a still living individual.

Being the logical person I am, having an opt-out policy would be the better thing overall; those that want to give organs, or at least those that don't feel strongly about keeping them after death, wouldn't have to remember to opt-in and those that feel strongly about keeping them will be motivated to opt-out.

[Ballbag]

A lot of other countries adopt this stance, and I think it's a good one.

Incidently I nearly became a donor..... I was a match for someone on the bone marrow list earlier this year.....it wasn't until late in the process that I realised how painful it is doing this..... they drill right into your hip bone and suck the sap. Fortunatly the patient didn't need any in the end as they got better without it. But it was a close call and no mistaking.

Oh, and for your info, yes I am on the full donor list, so form an orderly cue..... cos these babies are up for grabs when I'm gone.

[Vivienne]

Despite being an illogical number, I am perfectly happy for pieces of me to save other people. Besides this, I feel when I reach heaven, having done something this good will put me on to a higher plain. This isn't one of my jokes, btw - I mean it.

[Yudster]

I would be completely happy with automatic organ "harvesting" as long as the opt out system for those who aren't happy is clear, simple to apply and obvious to determine for the doctors at the sharp end.

[Boboff]

I would be broadly in favor of this scheme. Would seem allot more sensible.

[Console]

Also is their the capacity to store all these organs?

I'm sure that if the scheme was put in place that the facilities to store all of these organs would be created.

[foot-loose]

Won't this mean a huge change for how the bodies of the deceased are dealt with? You can hardly have a funeral, bury them and start digging it back up when the family have turned the backs. Also is their the capacity to store all these organs? Seems a good idea though.

I'm no expect in these things, but Im pretty sure that the organs have to be removed from the body pretty quickly (like within hours) and put in ice. They certainly wont be digging up corpses!

If you think about it, this narrows the number of people that are actually able to donate anything - you would either need to be already in hospital or get into one pretty soon after ye have snuffed it. If you die in your sleep, chances are you wont be in any fit state by the time you made it to the hospital for them to chop bits out you. I would imagine car accidents and so on would be the number one place that these things would come from.

As I said, i'm no expert in these things though.

[Console]

As I said, i'm no expert in these things though.

Actually, you said you were no 'expect' in these things.

[foot-loose]

hah - fair point.

[Blackie]

Won't this mean a huge change for how the bodies of the deceased are dealt with? You can hardly have a funeral, bury them and start digging it back up when the family have turned the backs. Also is their the capacity to store all these organs? Seems a good idea though.

I'm no expect in these things, but Im pretty sure that the organs have to be removed from the body pretty quickly (like within hours) and put in ice. They certainly wont be digging up corpses!

If you think about it, this narrows the number of people that are actually able to donate anything - you would either need to be already in hospital or get into one pretty soon after ye have snuffed it. If you die in your sleep, chances are you wont be in any fit state by the time you made it to the hospital for them to chop bits out you. I would imagine car accidents and so on would be the number one place that these things would come from.

As I said, i'm no expert in these things though.

I was watching a programme on BBC1 last night abount a young Irish boy who was having a heart transplant. The are kept on standby and when ever there is a possibilty that an organ may become available, it generally means that some is on their way out. There are people whos job is to watch for this and when notified of organs have to find a match asap. The little boy last night had a 4hr window in which to remove the heart form the donor, put it on ice and hit the road. While it was on route the doctors at the other holiday had to remove the boys heart and put him on a machine while waiting for the new heart. It was touch and go for a while but you'll all be glad to know he's fine now!!!

[Blackie]

My Grammar and spelling is crap!

[Ballbag]

Did you mean the world "holiday"? Or were you supposed to type hospital.

[Blackie]

Did you mean the world "holiday"? Or were you supposed to type hospital.

Yeah, I meant hospital! Did you meah world!

[Blackie]

*.... mean

[Ballbag]

haha, touche. But yes I did....... I did mean the word world. So there...... it's the cool way of writing "word" nowadays.


(damn those pints at lunch time).

[Blackie]

[Ballbag]

We're not making ourselves look smart are we. I'm going to bail out now while i'M STILL DOING OK*.


(* whilst typing that sentence I accidentally clipped the caps lock button, I could have gone back and corrected myself, but I liked the irony of the mistake so have left it in.)

[Blackie]

gOOD cALL!

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

What worries me is what checks do they do before taking your organs? As I understand it time is short in many cases for the organs to still be viable so what if you don't have your "opt-out" card on you. Do they keep everyone on a register to check?

[Yudster]

I would think a national database of "out-opters" should be a perfectly do-able thing, but I'm not sure I'd trust the NHS, or their IT consultants, to manage it - not based on current performance anyway.

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

There are lots of wonderful ideas for national databases and I know of one at the moment which has been years coming and still is no where near completion.

[Yudster]

Just the one?! Seriously though, I do think the issue of clarity as to who has opted out probably the biggest hurdle to overcome in the proposals. It ought to be do-able, but..........and as strongly in favour as I am, even I wouldn't want it to come into operation without guarantees that the doctor's dealing with the potential donors are absolutely clear about their patient's wishes.

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

They can happily have whatever is useful from me (not much) but I would want strong safeguards for people who opt out.

[S4B]

Doubt there'll be any bits of me worth having but I'm already signed up to give whatever's useful. Mind you I'm not going to die anytime soon - only the good die young!