So, finally, the state in England has decided that our bodies now belong to it.
A new opt-out system for organ donation will be in place by 2020 in England, if Parliament approves “Max’s Law”.
Under the plans detailed by ministers, adults will be presumed to be organ donors unless they have specifically recorded their decision not to be.
The government said it would save up to 700 lives each year.
This is the same state that castigates businesses when they use opt-out as opposed to opt-in as it is immoral. Yet now decide the most immoral and egregious version of their own. Organ donation should be a gift freely given, not usurped by the state. The existence of the technology does not confer a right to file on the part of those in need. Nor does it place a moral obligation on others to give.
As for the 700 lives saved nonsense – they are planning to co-opt millions on the off-chance that they might “save” 700. Bear in mind that organ donation extends life, it does not save it. Fifteen years or so later and that person is back on the list looking for another organ as the one they had is worn out constantly fighting rejection from the host body. The whole thing is little more than duct tape and string – it’s crude and only partially effective. Yet the state wants to decide that we consent even if we have not been specifically asked.
My approach has always been to allow my organs to be used providing my nearest and dearest are asked. However, my attitude has hardened as a consequence of the constant guilt tripping and increasing desire by the state to assume that we have some sort of duty and it can assume consent. We do not. I will be opting out. I no longer consent. So, well done, you’ve gone from having if you ask nicely to not having under any circumstances.
Concur. Ask me politely and I will consider it. Try and compel me and the answer is NO.
Bottom Line – It’s my body, it belongs to me and nobody else, not even the state.
My consent can never be presumed.
Ditto – I’ve always carried a donor card, but will also opt out.
I’ve already opted out of the NHS data sharing at surgery & national levels.
How will it apply to non-residents visiting England?
Probably won’t.
It depends on what you class as a visit. From what I have read, if you have been here for twelve months you are opted in.
Similar things happened to some Brits in the US during the Vietnam war. It depends on residence rather than nationality.
#MeeToo
Hasn’t that one been used 😉
“The government said it would save up to 700 lives each year.”
This part of the statement alone has all the hallmarks of figures pulled out of someone’s arse to justify a very dodgy piece of legislation. Transplant surgery is currently little better than a stop gap until the rejection problems are sorted out. Possibly by a recent development of growing DNA specific custom grown human organs using pigs. Which has the secondary advantage of keeping all those from the religion of being blown to pieces off the recipients list.
Oh, and extra meat for making roast port with crackling. Win-win.
Yup. Has junk science written all over it. Organ donation is indeed a patch up job. It’s crude butchery and merely buys time.
To opt in, or be opted in by default, puts officials in charge of your tissues at time of death, and the allocation of those tissues will be done according to their ‘policy’, not your wishes, and not the needs of any seriously ill family members. I haven’t forgotten the scandal when we found out some donated organs ended up inside wealthy foreigners who had come to UK private wards specifically to take advantage of this. I’m opting out. My executors are also getting a letter of intent to protect them from the vultures.
“I will be opting out. I no longer consent. So, well done, you’ve gone from having if you ask nicely to not having under any circumstances.”
+1
Organ Donation is not Donation if it is mandatory.
Also, it hasn’t “saved” any lives in Wales, only caused anger.
Indeed, mandatory donation is theft.
They conveniently skipped over the lack of affect in Wales. Likewise Spain. You can assume that everyone consents, but you can’t guarantee that they will all die in convenient circumstances. Hence, it is likely to make little or no difference to the availability of suitable organs.
Again I could not agree with you more if I tried. The stupid thing is that this “problem” with regards donors is one that is easily dealt with, without the need for the state to own your body. I read all over how this “problem” is because the number of grieving relatives that deny the use of someone’s organs, even if they are carrying a donor card. Easy answer…..make the donor card a legally enforceable document with no recourse for grieving relatives to usurp the decision of the donor. Sorted!
Rather than yet another law and the inevitable legal challenges.
If Blog is on Organ Donor register or has card then don’t ask and don’t tell relatives, go ahead. If relative asks, tell truth – we followed Blog’s instructions.