Wales switches to organ donation opt-out instead of opt-in.

[dixiegrrrrl]

Consent for organ donation switches from opt-in to “soft opt-out” in Wales from Tuesday. The Labour-led Welsh government claims the law change could lead to a 25% increase in the number of organs available.

It is the first such move in the UK, and has been warmly welcomed by patients waiting for lifesaving procedures. But critics, including the Welsh Conservatives and the Church in Wales remain sceptical, arguing that the new system could be confusing, may alienate relatives of potential donors and even tarnish the image of organ donation.

Under the “deemed consent” system, people aged 18 and over who have lived in Wales for more than 12 months and who die in the country will be regarded as having consented to organ donation unless they have opted out.

To opt out, people can add their name to a register by phone or online. Those who wish to register a positive decision to opt in can still do so.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/01/wales-switches-to-organ-donation-opt-out

So, in this country, you check off your driver's license, saying you WANT to be an organ donor.

But under the "opt-out" method, if you die and there is no record of you saying NO to being a donor, your body parts get used.

Whadda ya think about this?

[onehandle]

1. I always opt-out because Dick Cheney got a new heart.

Kidding, but he certainly didn't deserve one.

[hedgehog]

2. Why did I think they were collecting money for a musical instrument?

[Juicy_Bellows]

3. Smart - we should adopt a similiar approach.

Wonder how this would poll in the USA?

[yeoman6987]

4. Not well, but I an for it

Of course, I am really radical and think you should be able to sell your body parts if you want. It's your body and should do whatever you want with it. But that is crazy talk in this country.

[Juicy_Bellows]

7. Sure thing, bit pity the poor dumb fool that gets my bleedin' spleen -

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Well, there is THIS to consider...

There was a short story about a future world in which being cut up for parts had become the punishment for various crimes.
The list had grown longer over time until even traffic infractions and jay-walking put you under the knife.

From time to time, ideas are floated that prisoners could get earlier release if they donated a kidney or something they could spare with not much hardship.

OTOH, the selling of body parts in India has become a huge business, with the poor donor getting the short end of the stick.

[Juicy_Bellows]

8. Well sure, that would be a problem.

I haven't heard any bathtub kidney removal stories lately.

I am a donor, after I am dead play a little harvest moon and have it at.

Cheers.

[nomorenomore08]

9. How many people die due to organ shortages? This is a perfectly fine idea. n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I think it's a great idea.

I doubt it will happen here, however.

I have indicated that I want whatever can be used from me after I'm done with this life, be taken. I hope that some organs will still be useful.

[Scuba]

11. This is a splendid idea that would save many lives. Today there are more live donors than ...

... deceased, at least as far as kidneys go.

My daughter waited nearly five years for a kidney, which she eventually got from a deceased donor. With an "opt-out" law waiting times would be greatly reduced saving lives, improving lives and saving money - dialysis is expensive as hell!!!

[Dawson Leery]

12. Oppose.

Again, we would be screwed if he had to chose between Robert Bork and Cass Sunstein.

[LeftyMom]

13. I'm probably going to have to give my dad half of my liver in this coming year.

It's about a two year wait for a cadaver liver in this region, for his blood type. A cadaver transplant is actually better, he gets a whole liver and it's easier to plumb in that kind of kludging a whole liver's worth of blood supply onto half a liver.

A whole lot of perfectly transplantable organs will be buried or cremated while he waits. It's cruel and wasteful.

[NV Whino]

14. Seems like a good idea to me

Maybe we should do it for voter registration, too.