Organ and Tissue Donation

[Slava]

I just thought that I would post this as a separate thread as some people might want to follow the lead of Logan Boulet, who was one of the victims in the Humboldt crash. He was killed, but donated 6 organs as a result of signing his card, and while this link might be in that thread, I thought that it should be a separate thread in case anyone is interested.

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Pages/OTDRHome.aspx

[Canehdianman]

I think this should be the default. Let people opt out if they so choose.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

I think this should be the default. Let people opt out if they so choose.

I completely agree, but at least you can sign up online and apparently it's easier for them to look up as opposed to signing the back of your health care card.

[Weitz]

I’m a donor. My wife and family all know that.

Have 2 aunts who have gotten double lung transplants and one also got a kidney transplant. Ever since i knew I would be one.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by Slava

I completely agree, but at least you can sign up online and apparently it's easier for them to look up as opposed to signing the back of your health care card.

That's true, but the only thing easier than an online signup is not having to sign up at all.

[EVERLAST]

I think this donation of harvested organs is awesome and also think donating a body to science is also commendable.

Being able to study trauma as well is clearly important.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Have 2 aunts who have gotten double lung transplants and one also got a kidney transplant. Ever since i knew I would be one.

Wait, is it voluntary or are you telling us that your aunts are going to harvest your organs?

But I agree with the above, make opting out the new norm. At least for new adults.

[llwhiteoutll]

An opt out system would be good, apparently something like only 20% of people are registered as organ donors. I’ve had both boxes on my health card checked since I could; use the good parts for donations and the rest goes to science.

The other one I think is overlooked is the stem cell registry through the blood donation program.

[Tron_fdc]

Do it on your iPhone. It takes 10 seconds.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.glam...rgan-donor/amp

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

I think this should be the default. Let people opt out if they so choose.

I don't think so. I had hepatitis as a young child and can't donate my organs. People in compromised medical conditions should have the assurance that organs they receive will not lead to further medical conditions.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by redforever

I don't think so. I had hepatitis as a young child and can't donate my organs.

We put a man on the moon, I hope we can figure out how to not harvest organs from people with transferable diseases.

Maybe we could maintain some sort of database of health information.

[Kjesse]

I'm an organ recipient (a cornea) a decade ago now. I was on the list for all of perhaps a month, and due to my then young age, the cornea I would get wouldn't come from a senior citizen, but rather a young person. As the nurse put it, bluntly, I was in line and would receive a cornea arising from someone else's tragedy, as those in their 20s and 30s don't usually pass from natural causes.

The phone call came, and I was put on the surgery list, to happen in 4 days. The wait was to ensure the tests of the deceased's organs demonstrated they were suitable for transplant.

That phone call meant, a young person died, and donated their organs. Its a weird feeling. I was about to have vision in one eye restored, and it was only possible because a young person died and signed their donor card. I was greatly happy and cried at the same time.

Four days later, I'm sitting in the pre-surgery room, there was me, and another guy. We were each getting one of the corneas. Strange feeling. Someone had to die for my opportunity to regain usable vision in my left eye.

You are not told from whom the organs came, although in my case reading the news and connecting the dots suggested the person was murdered. The family also is not told to whom the organs go. I was provided an opportunity, and took it, to speak words of thank you to families of victims whos loved ones donated organs in that prior year. I understand that family was in the crowd, although they remained anonymous, and it was nice to say thank you on behalf of myself and everyone else who received the gift of an organ donation. As a cornea recipient, my case was relatively minor in the grande scheme of life, but it made all the difference to me.

Please volunteer to be a donor until the law changes where being a donor is the default it should be. In the face of tragedy you can help many others.

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/pages/otdrhome.aspx

[Slava]

Originally Posted by redforever

I don't think so. I had hepatitis as a young child and can't donate my organs. People in compromised medical conditions should have the assurance that organs they receive will not lead to further medical conditions.

They have this "opt out" elsewhere in the world (I want to say Norway) and I'm sure have ways to screen these organs and tissues. Just because you haven't opted out, wouldn't mean that they're definitely using your organs. Same with now; I've signed and registered and everything as a donor, but if my organs were unsuitable for some reason they just wouldn't use them.

[troutman]

Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Registry

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Pages/OTDRHome.aspx

Organ and Tissue Donation in Alberta

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/alberta/...-overview.aspx

Although I fully encourage organ and tissue donation, I don't think it should be the "default". For anything to be done to your body should require a positive affirmation, not a negative option. Arguments against default:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsi.../#2d640b3a1e0b

However, critics of “opt out” note that changing the default runs counter to standard Western views of individual autonomy over one’s own body.

For the state to presume the authority to harvest my organs (or to allow others to do so) without my explicit consent strikes me as deep violation of my freedom and autonomy. My body and my organs are mine — not mere means to others’ ends.

All physicians swear to uphold and protect patients’ individual bodily autonomy. Although my heart goes out to patients on the waiting lists in urgent need of a transplant, they’re not entitled to anyone else’s organs.

I’ve volunteered to be an organ donor ever since I got my driver’s license. I would be delighted if my organs could help others after my own death. But all I require is that I be asked first. This affirmative decision is my call, and the default should respect that.

Rather than an “opt out” system, we could consider other methods to encourage voluntary organ donation, such as used in Israel:

A change of law in 2010 that prioritizes patients with a history of donation — if a family member donated his or her organs or the patient himself made a living donation or if the patient has been on the donor list for at least three years — has incentivized a significant portion of the population to register as donors.

Preliminary results, published last year, show that the annual deceased organ-donation rate increased from 7.8 organs per million people in 2010 to 11.4 organs per million people in 2011. The number of new registrations per month more than doubled and the total number of candidates waiting for a transplant fell for the first time ever.

[Fuzz]

I'd encourage everyone to at least have a conversation with their family about your wishes, so if you do die and they weren't aware you are a donor, their is no hesitation.

Organ transplants save lives and give people a second chance. I'd encourage everyone to sign up. And if you happen to be in Vancouver the first week of July, check out the Transplant Games, you can see all the people who's lives were changed becuase of a donation, and that they are able to continue living happy full lives.

https://www.canadiantransplant.com/c...ansplant-games

[calf]

Originally Posted by Slava

I just thought that I would post this as a separate thread as some people might want to follow the lead of Logan Boulet, who was one of the victims in the Humboldt crash. He was killed, but donated 6 organs as a result of signing his card, and while this link might be in that thread, I thought that it should be a separate thread in case anyone is interested.

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Pages/OTDRHome.aspx

Thanks for posting this - I had no idea this existed.

When my wife and I did our wills/personal directives a few years back we made it known in there what our wishes are; but having things in a database like this is great to ensure the consent is in fact there, and it likely makes things way more efficient if there are any timing concerns by not having to go back home, dig up the will, etc, especially depending on where ones death may happen - the logistics of death that are rarely thought of.

[Huntingwhale]

Great thread. I'm pretty sure I signed up in the past, but doing it again to make sure. I agree that it should be by default they are donated. Heck, why even bother keeping them if you die? You have no need for them. If it's for religious reasons, I'm sure your God won't mind. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've yet to read/hear of any passage in any scripture that forbids it.

Maybe someone who refuses to donate can comment, but other then your organs being cancer infested or full of disease I can't think of a single good reason to not donate.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Maybe someone who refuses to donate can comment, but other then your organs being cancer infested or full of disease I can't think of a single good reason to not donate.

I've been looking back at some of the tainted blood scandals from the 80s/90s recently, and one of the big recommendations is maintaining a volunteer donation system (not paid in this context). I think the reasoning is still valid and draws some parallels in that having an opt-in/volunteer system provides an extra layer of safety/security.

There is always a chance that something gets missed on a screening test. In the context of blood donations, when someone gets paid, then people have a motivation to donate blood and introduce something to the system when they shouldn't (even if it should get caught, it might not).

Same thing with the opt-in on organ donations. You should opt in when you know/have every reason to believe your organs will be fine for someone. If you place the onus on people opting out (let's be honest, people are lazy, or might not know that they should), then you risk missing diseases, cancer, degenerative conditions that haven't shown up, etc. It's a small risk, but it might be an unacceptable risk to take.

[speede5]

I believe it should remain voluntary but the system needs to be better. I am not opposed to it being a yes or no question that everyone has to affirm.

I don't carry my health card(Sk) and the extra piece of paper that you have to sign and that is the only record I have that I am an organ donor. The piece of paper doesn't last long in a wallet.

There should be a system that is easy to access and records this info. There are many opportunities to capture whether you want to donate, easiest probably being drivers license renewal or possibly when you get a health card.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by speede5

There should be a system that is easy to access and records this info. There are many opportunities to capture whether you want to donate, easiest probably being drivers license renewal or possibly when you get a health card.

How do I give consent for organ or tissue donation?

To be an organ or tissue donor in Alberta:

• register on the Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Registry(AOTDR), and mail or fax a copy of your completed (dated, signed, and witnessed) donation consent form (as per Human Tissue and Organ Donation Act) to Alberta Health, or
• visit a Registry Agent office to register your consent, or
• sign (must be witnessed) the back of your Alberta Personal Health Card, or
• if your intention is not recorded, your healthcare provider can call your next of kin (or immediate family) to talk about the option of organ and tissue donation.

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/alberta/...to-donate.aspx