Re: Re: Efforts Urged to Boost Organ Donations

[Guest guest]

-----Original Message-----

Does anyone know if there is a move on change this

defualt setting either on the political level?

You might want to check

out this link

http://www.presumedconsent.org/issues.htm

if you

want more info from different sources let me know and I will try and get them

for you.

barb in Texas

- just had hand surgery so am hunt and pecking with left hand.

[Guest guest]

Here is another paper

you might want to read

http://www.natco1.org/public_policy/pdfs/PresumedConsentforOrganDonation_000.pdf

barb in Texas

[Guest guest]

,

I don't know where this is politically, but I do love your idea!

LINDA

Mom of Suzanne, 17; IBD 1/04; PSC 3/04

-------------- Original message -------------- Why can't we have the default mode be organ donation and have people required to expressly request no organ donation? This report may be correct in citing the fact that there is no current consensus or public demand to change the current way of doing things, but this only indicates we need leadership from the medical, academic and political establishment on this issue - not a century long public edcation campaign that may convert the popualtion over many, many years.If this change were to be made, it would spark a huge public debate - but a debate that I am supremely confident we would win! Washington, DC

[Guest guest]

Many other countries do have it set up so that you are a donor unless you opt out. If you don't, your family can't stop the donation cause they don't want it. Marti wrote: While my wife and I had to suffer the wait at the Mayo clinic to find out if I had CC, we discussed this subject to death (no pun intended). Why can't we have the default mode be organ donation and have people required to expressly request no organ donation? This report may be correct in citing the fact that there is no current consensus or public demand to change the current way of doing things, but this only indicates we need leadership from the medical, academic and political establishment on this issue - not a century long public edcation campaign that may convert the popualtion

over many, many years.I agree that we need to all work on education, but I think the educational effort should be focused on forcing decision makers to change the current default setting for organ donation. If this change were to be made, it would spark a huge public debate - but a debate that I am supremely confident we would win! We would have both the right to life crowd and the lefties on board since it helps everyone. Those with objections to organ donation would make this very clear to their families – especially after such vigorous an national debate!Does anyone know if there is a move on change this defualt setting either on the political level?Washington, DC>> Efforts Urged to Boost Organ Donations> > WASHINGTON -- More emphasis needs to be

placed on showing people the> importance of donating organs and making it easy for them to do so, the> Institute of Medicine reported Tuesday.> > But its report discouraged the offering of financial incentives to> donate organs and said the country is not ready for policies that would> assume consent to donate unless an individual had specifically chosen> not to.> > "All members of society have a stake in an adequate supply of organs for> patients in need, because all of us are potential recipients as well as> potential donors," said committee chairman F. Childress, a> professor of medical education at the University of Virginia,> Charlottesville.> > The report called on federal agencies, nonprofit groups and other> organizations to improve organ donation systems, increase opportunities> for people to make

donations and to educate the public about the value> of donating organs. > > As of the start of 2006, about 90,000 people in the United States were> awaiting organ donations, the report said. And while rates of donation> have been increasing, 7,593 deceased donors provided 21,215 organs in> 2005, and there were 6,896 living donors. > > Most donations come from people whose death is determined by lack of> brain activity, and the panel suggested seeking ways to increase the> potential for donations from people who die of irreversible loss of> heart function. > > Currently people have to make a decision to donate organs, or it can be> made by their next of kin. There have been suggestions that the law be> changed to assume willingness to donate unless the individual has> specifically opted out. However, the panel concluded that there is

no> widespread public support for such a change. > > And it discouraged the idea of offering financial incentives to donate,> saying that could cause people to view organs as commodities and> discourage donations for altruistic reasons. > > The Institute is an arm of the National Academies, the nation's most> prestigious science organization. Its report was requested by the> Department of Health and Human Services.> > Institute of Medicine: http://www.iom.edu> > > Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight, Whatever it Takes!> Son Ken (32) UC 91 - PSC 99>

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