Should ORGAN donation be mandatory?

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PassionateLover2

When I learned that a 10-year old girl needed a lung transplant and is actually number 66 on the overall donors list, (but actually "behind" all adults over the age of 12), it made me think that maybe there is something wrong with the organ donor system.

It is interest to know that it's compulsory for all Israeli people, starting at age 18, to join the military in defense of their homeland; except for religious reasons.

Therefore, should ORGAN donation be mandatory by all adults for the benefit of the American citizen to help their fellow human being? Is there something wrong with the current Organ Donor's List Program? Can something else be done to improve the organ donation in our society?

Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):

Keep it strictly Voluntary

Lildrummrgurl7 , Wicked Wahine , married with children , VeganChick (is Gone) , luv 2 sex , mdnght , Isola , eri86 , Alan & Michele , mpfm , leanright69 , angel42539 , ViVix , js250 , foxinlace , Sbmsvschoolgirl , treehugger , U3H , Yoda , natashaanime , SMichelle , RonLee , Nezzie13 , PassionateLover2 , Sera26 , Cosmonaut , spiced , Katelyn , Basalt , Ayumi , Gunsmoke , sunflower , SourAppleMartini , Trysexual , padmeamidala , surreptitious , BrittaniMaree , Marie Hanna , richsam , alliegator , Lady of the Lab , snowminx , Hummingbird , nickeyt , *Camoprincess* , SecretKinksters , Living Doll , NovaLights , marshmallow , Thinkingman , Rarity , PassionCpl , gorgeous , marmouse

There should be a better system of organ donation

Augustxsins , Katelyn , nimr , surreptitious , Lady of the Lab , KrissyNovacaine , LoveX , joolie , Virgingasms , Aishiteru , Rarity

Partial mandatory and partial voluntary depending upon the donor's health or religious reasons

evanescentowl , Soulsekrou , Pete's Princess , gwenevieve , Beautiful-Disaster , Augustxsins , natashaanime

Make it Mandatory over the age of 21

Other (please explain)

KinkyKatieJames , PropertyOfPotter

Total votes: 74 (68 voters)

Poll is closed

05/29/2013

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evanescentowl

The problem with organ donation being mandatory, besides the philosophical argument that could ensue from the removal of body parts post-mortem, is that some people have bodies that aren't fit for organ donation. Sure, it would be nice to have a liver, but it isn't going to help you in the long run if it's a fatty liver riddled by years of alcoholism.

As nice of an idea as it is for everyone that needs an organ transplant to have one... I dislike the idea of making anything of that sort mandatory. It could easily become a slippery slope. From body parts to blood donations while alive, to egg and sperm donations... to who knows what else.

05/29/2013

Lildrummrgurl7

I think there are a lot of ethical issues with mandatory organ donation.

05/29/2013

Soulsekrou

I think it should be mandatory to be a organ donor when your dead. As long as your health records are okay.

05/29/2013

Wicked Wahine

Yes, it needs to be handled better, but I don't know enough about the particulars to be able to suggest any ideas. So I meant to choose both the 1st & 2nd choices, sorry.

05/29/2013

VeganChick (is Gone)

I don't think it should be mandatory. I think it is disrespectful to the individual to use their body however you see fit.

05/29/2013

gwenevieve

Quote:

Originally posted by PassionateLover2

When I learned that a 10-year old girl needed a lung transplant and is actually number 66 on the overall donors list, (but actually "behind" all adults over the age of 12), it made me think that maybe there is something wrong with the organ ... more

unless they have a truly valid reason, i think it should be mandatory.

it could save thousands and thousands of lives.

05/29/2013

Pete's Princess

(Review Program Mentor)

One thing that might encourage more donations is that you cannot be on the list to receive if you have not been on the list as a donor for at least 5 years. If you are against donation or just choose not to sign up then you must be against receiving. Basically no ticket = no ride.

Many people don't sign up because they are lazy, apathetic or the state they live in makes it difficult. Some states have a whole process and extra forms you need to fill out. People just get busy and forget. Put something in the system to make it easy to sign up and of value to them personally and they might be more motivated.

I also think that there should be less donors disqualified. I would rather have a "fatty liver" and have a chance at living than die waiting on the list.

05/29/2013

luv 2 sex

As a family that has been affected by organ donation in terms of receiveing, I still truly believe it should be a voluntary thing. Making it mandatory is a line that should not be crossed.

05/29/2013

KinkyKatieJames

I'm so torn on this. If people did not donate organs, I would not be alive; At 21 years old, I needed a heart transplant. I have received backlash from people calling me selfish, so let me state, my illness was 100% GENETIC.

Even disregarding my own situation, I saw young kids sitting in the hospital waiting for help. I know it's harder for kids since not only does blood type and heart "CODING" have to match, but body type as well. Personally, my heart came from a 16 year old male. I was "lucky" since I have a rare blood type and there were a lot of people ahead of me (over 30). So, just think of all the innocent lives that could be saved. These people didn't ask to be sick. Yes, some people let their health slip (for instance, smokers needing a lung transplant, or people without medical problems being obese, etc.), but it's not fair to judge everyone based some people. As I said, I received a lot of negativity when I told people about mine. I actually take really good care of myself and always have, yet I was on my death bed.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. It just really upsets me with how many people are not still not willing to donate their organs. It makes it worse when recipients get negativity from people.

For the poll, I had to choose other. Although I do wish it were mandatory, it is still a violation of someone's rights to demand that their organs are donated. That being said, I am always encouraging people to sign up.

05/30/2013

Alan & Michele

No, I don't think it should be mandatory and wouldn't care to live in a country where it was. Desecration of the dead is a big deal for some people, and that view should be respected too. Not to mention it would leave WAY too many openings for corruption in an already corrupted medical system. Think about it-- unethical doctors could choose not to work quite so hard to save someone's life, knowing that there was a wealthier patient waiting to pay for an organ.

They call organ donation a "Gift of Life" and that's what it should be. BUT I think they need to draw a lot more attention to organ donation as a whole. Maybe they could spend less money trying to make rock stars out of criminals on the nightly news, and use the cash to encourage people to become organ donors instead. Seriously, a lot of folks don't know much about it at all aside from seeing that little checkbox on the application for their driver's license.

~M

05/30/2013

Beautiful-Disaster

I think that it should be mandatory... maybe... depending on the person..

05/30/2013

Woman China

No. I do not think it should be mandatory. The biggest problem would be I think is greed and making it into a business.

But I do think that if you are able to donate blood, there should be something like a tax write off for donating once or twice a year. Like donating money or something. Make it have an incentive.

05/30/2013

PropertyOfPotter

In the state I live in, when you go to get your license they simply ask you if you would like to be an organ donor or not. There's not paperwork to fill out, you don't need to go to a physical, etc. They ask, you answer, they print it. Plain and simple.

I have very mixed feelings on this topic. I have three young, and healthy children, but if they ever needed some type of transplant, it would break my heart seeing all the people who weren't willing to donate. The loss of someone you love is one of the worst experiences to go through, but to be able to take that experience and at least be able to GIVE something good, something that can truly help someone else, doesn't that mean something? If it doesn't, it should. I pray to God I never have to go through anything like that, but I would donate my organs and would donate my children's organs if something ever were to happen to one of us. The idea that they died, but had the ability to help someone else thrive, I just don't understand someone NOT being okay with that.

That being said, we are living in the 'land of the free' and it's our right to choose not to be organ donors, I just understand why someone would choose not to help someone in desperate need if the opportunity presented itself.

05/30/2013

angel42539

if you want to you can but I rather not

05/30/2013

ViVix

Quote:

Originally posted by PassionateLover2

If someone tells me what to do with my organs, I'm leaving the country. It's bad enough that the government wants inside of my uterus already!

05/30/2013

js250

I feel it should stay voluntary--but there should be more incentives to being a donor. This would make more people willing to donate post mortem.

05/30/2013

Augustxsins

I don't think organ donation should be mandatory - there are too many people who shy away from organ donation because of religious or cultural reasons. I really do feel that changes should be made, though. For example, change the "organ donor" option on US driver's licenses to be an opt-out feature, rather than the current opt-in system. Currently, you have to check a box saying that you want to be an organ donor. The alternative is to have that box already checked; anyone with a moral/cultural/religio us taboo against organ donation could still opt out, but it takes 1/2 second more effort to say no.

A friend's father was saved by an organ donor a few years ago, and each year there is a picnic at the transplant center for all of the families that were saved by the donor. There are over 15 families who gather each year to express their thanks for the person who saved their lives. I think it's incredibly touching.

05/30/2013

Sbmsvschoolgirl

Quote:

Originally posted by evanescentowl

I'm pretty sure doctors aren't going to use unfit/unhealthy organs for transplant, even if it were mandatory. There are a lot of precautions and tests to make sure that the organ is a good fit and has a low chance of rejection. They wouldn't use a bad organ even if it came from a voluntary donor.

That being said, everyone should have the right to do with their bodies as they wish, no one should be forced to donate organs. (I am an organ donor, and I'm happy to have been given a choice)

05/30/2013

natashaanime

I believe that if it doesn't interfere with that particular person's religious or personal beliefs that they should donate their organs. Once they are dead there is no purpose of the organs to them, and they can help the people that they are upset over other people not helping.

05/30/2013

RonLee

Actually, I believe that the deceased's family should be paid for the organs that are harvested. Everyone else involved in the use of donated organs is profiting, why not the "donor"?

05/30/2013

Fluke

Not mandatory, no.

A better solution would be to offer a tax credit to organ donors. It doesn't have to be much, but give people a little bit of incentive and lots more will sign up.

05/30/2013

Nezzie13

Absolutely not. Organ transplants get enough funny looks without the government bullying people into it. I'm an organ donor, but I have no problem with the idea; in fact, I'm hoping that someday we'll be able to grow organs without greed taking over or religious groups rioting. Not everyone is that comfortable with it, and that's a shame, but it's their body.

05/30/2013

Bo #34

Yeah - let's make it mandatory, and have the repo men break down our doors in the middle of the night and harvest what their rich client needs. No thanks.

05/30/2013

Sera26

No, I wouldn't want it to be made mandatory. I'm going to donate an organ to a family member and it was still a difficult decision. That being said , I do think that there is something off about the list they use. My man's mother has a lot of issues and had to wait 8 years for a kidney.

05/30/2013

Cosmonaut

Reminds me of this website:

Organ Harvesting

05/30/2013

spiced

This made me think of the "Live Organ Donation" scene in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life!

No, I wouldn't want it to be mandatory, but I believe every healthy person should donate their organs, unless their religion forbids it. I mean, if you're going to be dead, what difference is it to you? I like the thought of saving someone's life and I hope that more and more people will feel the same, and do the right thing.

05/30/2013

Ayumi

This is a really dicey topic, but I would rather it be kept voluntary.
For me I hate to think that everything that can be done to save my life in a crisis might not be done because I've got a bunch of healthy organs to give up.

05/30/2013

sunflower

I feel like I could write a dystopian novel about a forced organ donation for the dead law going into effect and then really government conspiracy to murder people just for their organs is happening. Kinda like Soylent Green a bit. But I'd make it sci-fi like they are using the organs for weird cloning shit or something. The point is, whenever I hear an idea and think of a dystopian plotline for it, it's usually a bad idea lmao. There's an urban legend that if you have organ donor checked on your drivers license and get in a car crash, the paramedics won't save you. I think maybe there should be more push for education about how organ donating helps save lives and the legality of it and then let the people decide.

Also in most cultures there are big values for respecting the dead and I feel like this wouldn't fly well with that. I don't really want to donate my organs. I think the idea of a military draft really sucks too but that is necessary sometimes I guess.

Also lol @ the Monty Python thought. Same.

05/31/2013

SourAppleMartini

Obviously not, that would just pen doors to illegal practices e.g. killing a person to save another person's life.

05/31/2013

Total posts: 56 Unique posters: 52

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