Once again, we are bombarded with guilt tripping and an assumption of consent.
Lives will be saved. Hundreds of them, every year. That’s the first and most important thing to say about the organ donation (deemed consent) bill, which is expected to clear parliament today and become English law in 2020.
Saved is a disingenuous word here. Lives – some lives – will be extended for a few years. Saved presumes a normal life span whereas organ donation gives a decade and a half on immunosuppressants and therefore not on a machine, but saves lives is stretching it.
You may already know it as Max and Keira’s Law, after the young boy and girl whose story inspired politicians of all parties to get behind a change that will take us from having to opt in as an organ donor to having to opt out.
The idea of laws being made because of emotive appeals in response to heartbreaking events involving children should send a shiver down the spine. This is absolutely the worst possible reason to be making laws. And this law flies in the face of the government’s correct stance on the matter of opt in and opt out when applied to just about everything else. If an online retailer opts you in to their spammy promotions without your consent, that is unethical. If your data has been harvested by Farcebook or Google and sold on because you didn’t actively opt out, then this, too, is unethical. Yet now, because the government is doing it – and it “saves lives” – then suddenly the unethical becomes, as if by magic, ethical. Or, as we have become used to, “it’s okay when we do it”.
It is not okay. It is never okay. The reason does not justify it. Consent is only consent when it is given freely having been informed of what is required and what will happen. Or, to put it another way, presumed consent is not consent at all – as, indeed, the #metoo movement will readily tell you…
#metoo
Good point
I hope accused start using in defence: Gov’t legislated “presumed consent” is lawful.
The Day Democracy Died
May’s decision to take no deal off the table in favour of an extension to article 50 truly signals not just the death of Brexit but democracy itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7We1xRPsddA
Here in Spain I have an organ donor card in my wallet. My GP told me that it’s a waste of time carrying it around as I’m too effin old and they won’t take anything. That, before a lament that the obligatory use of crash helmets deprived the hospitals of prime material.
I will opt out.
Good supporting reference to #metoo
Some people who’ve received organs from people who signed up to it whilst alive claim to have experienced lifestyle and behaviour traits that were characteristics of the deceased.
So they suddenly develop a love of junk food, or cigarettes, or classical music and so on. Totally at odds with what they liked in the past.
That’s from people who say it’s okay to use their organs.
As this is phenomenon relatively common, I wonder what’ll happen to the poor sods who receive a transplant from someone vehemently opposed to assumptive permission.
Got a very bad feeling about this.
And I’ve read that many who need organs have stated they’ll only accept what’s willingly given.
I understand that Muslims and Hindus will not donate organs on their death as they would ‘not be whole’ in their afterlife, yet will gladly accept organs from unbelievers. If recipients take on the traits of the donor, as a lover of bacon sandwiches, I’m willing to donate my organs on the condition they are only given to Muslims.
I wonder if one will be able to consent to donate organs only to those that similarly consent?
I had a transplant from my father and developed his cynical and (to modern SJW eyes) misogynistic and racist view on life.
Amazing since all that was transplanted was a bunch of chromosomes from a sperm cell.
Maybe it’s something in the water…
When your body belongs to the State…
It’s always been the way that the state is hypocritical.
Shoot a Brazilian Electrician in a tube station. Life for us. It’s a Health and Safety issue to them.
Guns can’t be used for protection for us. They are surrounded by armed plod.
work away from home too long then you get taxed as if you live there. You have to supply receipts for everything. They get cash and don’t need receipts.
The list goes on.
I’m of the view that any laws they make should apply to all. That includes our political class who, currently, are above the law.