I notice a one individual would want to meet the potential recipient in order to approve the donation. The VAST majority of donors are people who've just died, or about to die, you don't get the luxury of interviewing them.

Many of the comments here are absolutely typical of what recipients are up against...ignorance and misinformation.

OPT-OUT all the way, if you don't want to donate, then opt-out!. Something HAS to be done about the people dying on the waiting lists. Aquavarius (or what-the-hell-ever) needs to spend some time with Cystic Fibrosis sufferers.

Once you're dead, you're effectively just a lump of dead meat. While many people harbour irrational ideas and sentiments about the meaning of that lump of dead meat, ultimately its potential to extend the life of others has to outweigh the superstitious or emotional interests of those who interfere with the deceased's expressed wishes to be an organ donor.

I suppose people have the right not to be donors, but I'd prefer to see this expressed via an "opt-out" system.

Stickman,
My mother wasn’t a donor because she thought she’d be too old to be a donor until a doctor told her that there are always parts they can use no matter your age, especially the skin. But yes, sometimes donor’s organs might not be desirable, so I’m curious about these stats as well.
I agree with your points addressed to aqvarivs. Having watched the Dutch Big Donor Show, I have the strong impression that people who are seriously ill have learned to really appreciate their lives and every day they have. Most will be very grateful for another chance and look upon life as a great gift and will not abuse it. But even if they are party animals and decided to drink or smoke- I hope they still get a few years of fun out of my organs; they’re welcome to use them as they please.

Zoe’s Mum,
I truly agree with you- if one of my children would die before me, I’d find it pacifying to think that their organs helped save one or more persons. How very mature and thoughtful your daughter was at the age of only 11!

CJMorgan,
Well said! Even if an opt-out system is not the only factor that will help increase the amount of donors, it is still worth it. At the same time, attention to any other factors need attention like the author mentioned, e.g. discussing it with family.
Family needs to respect the wishes of their diseased loved one. What would it matter if the diseased would be buried or cremated without some the organs?

I wouldn't want to give the living any more value than the value that they themselves put on others lives as evidenced by their thinking on taking life when it suits them. Certainly as most of you seem to agree we are all just a useless bunch of tissue. Why place extra value or sentimentality on extending that uselessness especially with further suffering as is human nature. Long live those who wish to endure the uselessness of existence and a quick end to life's genetic errors. Why would I want to extend the life of a poor person or those terminally ill. They suffer too much at the hand of the rest of the world and death is their only welcoming peace. Same for our genetically incompatibles. Obviously they we're not designed for a long life and should have been screened out prior to birth and forced aborted. Like the others we allow no choice. Society shouldn't have to pay the price for that sentimentality. There should be no organ transplanting period. And certainly no life saving operations. My God, the contradiction in terms boggles. With fetal screening, and DNA testing, unrestricted abortion and euthanasia, life can be properly managed to limit existence to the healthy. Illness and disease and malformed organs are indicative of the further uselessness of the uselessness of we clumps of cells. We have put enormous and unnecessary strain on our health system and “world aid” negatively impacts our economics for no reasonable value except sentimentality for particular lumps of useless cells. The world is in turmoil thanks to unconstrained emotionalism. Procreation must be taken out of the hands of the individual person and given over to that authority with the proper vision for coping with lumps of cells of all manner and in all matters.

Please report to your local cell division for termination or life affirmation.

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Make Room! Make Room!

Aqvarvis - The views you express are so extreme, I am sure you are writing this as a 'wind up'. If not, you must be feeling very depressed. Cheer up! Life's not THAT bad!

I have found that doing someone a kindness often comes back to you in the most unexpected ways.

Did you know that any one of us, at any time, can suddenly become so ill with a virus that only a transplant can save our life? Any one of us at any time, can find our lives cut short with an accident or brain haemorrhage.
It doesn't just happen to OTHER PEOPLE, believe me.

I wish you a long and happy life - but if something unexpected like that did happen to you, or someone you love, I think you might change your opinion.

I seem to recall aqvarivs on another thread stating that he is a medical doctor. If so, his comments in this thread seem decidedly odd.

If not, my sincere apologies.