Should we scrap Donor Cards and replace with Non-Donor Cards to help patients needing transplants.?

Question

This would automatically make everyone a potential donor unless they expressly didn't want to be - in which case they carry the non-donor card as they do in the USA. The NHS provide free healthcare for all so why shouldn't we contribute in this way?

Answer 1

It is a good idea. I carry a donor card anyway but I don't see why everybody shouldn't automatically be a donor. I know lots of people don't want to see loved ones bodies used as spare parts. The one thing they overlook though is they are dead and heart, lungs, liver etc. are not exactly needed anymore.

Answer 2

I've thought this an excellent idea ever since it was first suggested. The only problem I can see for this is relatives; already, if a deceased person does not want their loved ones' organs etc being used after their death, then they have the final say - even if that person was actually carrying a donor card and had made this expressly known to their family. I think that this would become an even more murky area if the deceased person did not carry a non-donor card; their potential donor status could more or less be ignored under the table if the family were strongly against it. There could be many reasons why they were not carrying a non-donor card and these would be argued. Maybe they couldn't be bothered, or resent the idea of being 'made' to carry such a card.
Although I think it's a great idea, it smacks a little of pressurization of the general public - "Carry a non-donor card or we'll have you" sort of thing. I don't think the idea will get off the ground for a long while. In the meantime, it is up to those of us who do carry the current donor card to make our wishes STRONGLY known to our family and friends, and to include this in any living-will we may have. And, of course, to encourage them also to carry donor cards. It's a difficult area. Sue xx

Answer 3

Even if you carry a donor card or not, or are registered or not the Transplant co-ordinator still has to seek permission from the next of kin. So even if it is still your wish to donate, its up to your next of kin, who has the final say.

The system does need changing, as there is a chronic shortage. More media attention would help. Also companies can get donor registration forms and pop them in their employee's wage packets, this has been done before with large companies and proved to be successful.

If the shoe was on the other foot, people would be happy to receive so why shouldn't they give.

Thank you for bringing this to people's attention, as hopefully it make someone think.

AND FOR THOSE POEPLE WHO SAYS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE A DONOR, I HOPE YOU NEVER ARE ON A TRANSPLANT LIST, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU WOULD REFUSE A DONATED ORGAN

Remember " if you are prepared to receive, be prepared to give"

Jenni - Kidney Transplant Feb 06

Answer 4

yes i think that should happen. My husband had a heart transplant last year and if it wasn't for the generosity of the donor family my husband wouldn't be here. I will always be grateful.
By having this system it means it would take the pressure of doctors and the transplant coordinator who have to ask the family whose world has just fell apart if they would consider. That in itself must be hard. But this would also mean people who were serious about not wishing to donate would have to do something about it. Life is precious for everyone, this way life can go on after without having to approach a devastated family and ask this from them. They already have enough to deal with at the critical time. Plus, you are more likely to be in need of a transplant than actually donate. But i think if you aren't willing to donate, should you be allowed to receive should you ever need it??

Answer 5

I think an opt out system is an option, though at the same time, I think a lot of people would opt out and we'd be in the same situation. The reason I think this is because a lot of people don't know if they want to donate or not, and so they do nothing about it and leave the decision to their next of kin. If they were forced to decide, people would just opt out for now, and then probably never opt back in.

One other point, I think we contribute more than enough to the NHS through taxes, so that's not a great point. Donating organs is not contributing to the NHS either, it's contributing to society.

Perhaps one way of getting round it is to say that only people who are prepared to donate themselves, should be entitled to receive donated organs. And it should be like insurance - you can't get a card once you've got ill.

Answer 6

I Have no wish to be a Donor and Neither does any memeber of my Family , to carry a "Non Donor" Card is surely the right of every citizen . at the worst it will only be yet another "Card" to carry amongst all the other ones we "Have to Carry" perhaps the government will issue us all with a suitcase to carry them all in.Perhaps an alternative would be to Have this message "Tattooed" on our foreheads Incidentally "Health Care" is not "Free" we pay from when we first commence work or get a National Health "Number" some pay more than others == some pay nothing at all

Answer 7

I would carry a donor card as my hubby says he won't let doctors take parts of me so to save any arguing when im gone they can take what they want and save more lives,for every donor at least 10 people would gain, as the families that have just lost a loves one are very numb and would say no to anything being taken,but realistically when they think about it and realise that lives would be saved its too late

Answer 8

Aren't donor cards irrelevant now anyway? It's the organ donor register that you need to be on if you wish to donate organs.

I don't think you can expect people to opt out - it seems a little unfair, however something needs to be done to increase sign up to the register.

Perhaps if all GP's asked their patients to complete a form at their next medical appointment where they have to opt in or out, it would help?

Answer 9

Good question, yes I think we should, I was against being a donor at one time, now they can anything they want when i go, and I think what you have said would be a great idea, because there are a lot of people that just haven't bothered either way so lots of transplants go undone, and lives lost.

Answer 10

I am a doner, but dont think its a good idea to force people into this. what you could do is have it as a mandatory question that every doctor should ask their patient, then it could be recorded on computer nearly everyone has to visit their doctor at some point. And the NHS does not provide free healthcare we all pay for it.