Organ donation in England has moved to an opt-out system

Re:Organ donation in England has moved to an opt-out system by vageli on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @06:23PM (#23252668)

> I think you can make an argument that people should have the 'right' (is there such a thing as a right held by a nonliving person?) to make an informed choice about their organs but this is certainly an ambiguous situation as to whether or not that right should be given. I personally believe that it would be entirely acceptable if it were not a choice and your organs must be donated (as usable) on death.

So if families don't want the bodies of their loved ones turned over to the state, tough luck? Why does the state have a greater right to my kin than I?

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Re:Organ donation in England has moved to an opt-out system by mantap on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @06:32PM (#23252774)

What percentage of people refuse to receive a transplant because they disagree with transplantation? It's a tiny number of people. Acceptance of organ transplantation is almost universal outside of religious communities such as jehova's witnesses.

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Re:Organ donation in England has moved to an opt-out system by vageli on Thursday May 21, 2020 @12:22PM (#23260455)

I'm not sure the point you're making. Are you saying that if you would accept an organ transplant you must also be willing to donate your organs upon death? What percentage of people refuse free money?

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Re:Organ donation in England has moved to an opt-out system by i_cannot_hack on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @07:47PM (#23253376)

A hypothetical scenario, where I am interested in hearing your opinion:

A citizen recently returned from Liberia is diagnosed with Ebola and dies in the hospital. The family requests a christian burial, but the health protection agency decides against it, as the risk of disease transmission would be significant. Instead the body is treated as a biohazard and cremated, as a precaution to prevent additional deaths.

In this scenario, is it unreasonable that the state have greater right to the body than the next of kin? Should the family have been allowed to proceed with a christian burial, regardless of the potential deaths it might cause?

I think you agree that there are at least some scenarios were the state should be able to seize the rights over a body.

You might draw the line at saving people from Ebola, but I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for others to also include saving people from organ failure in that category.

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Re:Organ donation in England has moved to an opt-out system by akllp on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @07:58PM (#23253439)

Yes, if you swallowed 1kg of Polonium, perhaps special procedures are also warranted.

What does this have to do at all with the topic at hand?

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