Another Organ Donor Question

[Jade Margery]

Okay, so it seems that a lot more people are organ donors than I thought. I have another question now though, regarding an idea brought up in my first thread.

Do you think it would be moral to do preferential organ placement based on donor status? Meaning that a person who needed an organ but had chosen not to be a donor would be less likely to receive a donated organ than someone who had?

The logic behind this idea is that one cannot reasonably expect a service from someone that one is unwilling to provide for others.

Does this sound fair? Ethically and morally right? What do you think?

 

[keith99]

Very fair in theory. Practice is more difficult. Is someone a donor who only signes up when they figured out they need a liver?

Or lets look at blood donors. Lets say we give priority to donors. How should it be determined? Total donations? recent donations? Lenght of time since first donation? As far as I know they don't give any priority. Personally I think they should, at least match donations in the last 6 months or so, and directed to any recipient. What if my mom needs blood, and I can't donate since I just gave?

 

[Gishin]

No, it would not be ethical. We can't judge people worthy of receiving an organ or not over something they volunteer to do.

 

[Ectezus]

Okay, so it seems that a lot more people are organ donors than I thought. I have another question now though, regarding an idea brought up in my first thread.

Do you think it would be moral to do preferential organ placement based on donor status?

As I've also said in the other topic: Yes I do.
If you're an organ donor you should also be in front of the line for receiving one. If you don't like organ transplants thats fine with me but it works both ways.

Very fair in theory. Practice is more difficult.

Agreed, although it is easy with certain guidelines but whether those are 'okey' is another question:

Is someone a donor who only signes up when they figured out they need a liver?

Donor join date is registered so a person who joined earlier (practically everyone who is a donor) would still have a benefit over him.

As for the issue of only being a donor for a few organs it could also be simple: "You only get organs you are willing to give as well."
I can understand why you don't want to give away your heart if you die, but in that case why would you want to accept one?

- Ectezus

 

[Ectezus]

No, it would not be ethical. We can't judge people worthy of receiving an organ or not over something they volunteer to do.

It's not about being worthy or not, it's about preference.
If no organ donor who needs an organ him/herself is available then it would still go to the people who need it but aren't donor themselves.

Also: arranged organs transplants are done quite often. ie: where your own organ wouldn't match someone in your family who needs it so you arrange with other people who have the exact same situation to 'trade organs' at the same time sort to speak.

- Ectezus

 

[Jade Margery]

Very fair in theory. Practice is more difficult. Is someone a donor who only signes up when they figured out they need a liver?

Or lets look at blood donors. Lets say we give priority to donors. How should it be determined? Total donations? recent donations? Lenght of time since first donation? As far as I know they don't give any priority. Personally I think they should, at least match donations in the last 6 months or so, and directed to any recipient. What if my mom needs blood, and I can't donate since I just gave?

I don't think blood donation can be figured into this, because that happens while a person is still alive and there are many reasons why it would not work. I myself have tried to give blood a couple times, but every time they stick the needle in me I faint (*eternal shame*) and then they take it out and won't let me give blood and freak out and stuff. (Really they should just take the blood while I'm out cold, but oh well.)

 

[jayem]

Organs should be allotted by purely medical criteria--urgency of the need, general state of health, and best tissue match being the main ones. If, in the unlikely event that two potential recipients for one available organ had exactly the same medical criteria, except one was a organ donor and one was not, then I'd say give the organ to the donor. But the chances of such a situtation occurring is vanishingly remote.

 

[bliz]

I believe the everyone should be considered an organ donor unless they have chosen to opt out. Currently you have to opt in to be an organ donor. I think that reversing the procedure, we would hae a lot more organs available. And, no, I do no think non-organ doors should be discriminated against.

 

[Maren]

I don't think organs should be allotted based on peoples' status as an organ donor. Further, as I understand things, donor status does not mean a great deal at this point unless actually written into a living will or similar legal document. My understanding is that the family, even if a person has signed up as an organ donor, ultimately make the final decision in most instances. From what I read it is the family denying to allow the organs to be donated that has actually led to a shortage of organs.

 

[Jade Margery]

Rose, out of curiosity, if one of your organs failed would you accept a donor, or willingly die?

 

[Jade Margery]

Well, okay then. *shrug* Whatever floats your boat.

 

[Maren]

im a little scared of becoming an organ doner as what will happen if you need your organ in heaven? i wouldn't want to be without my heart, i think our bodies are precious and i dont think it is worth the risk. and if someone else takes my organ then they wont be them anymore and they might not get into heaven. where as if they dont get my organ then they will get into heaven quicker.

You're scared of not having a heart in heaven (if you donate it) while the rest of your organs will likely be dust in just a few years? I trust you realize, even with our modern burial techniques, in most cases (depending on the climate where the person is buried) after a year little is left of your body beyond the skeleton and teeth.

 

[Jade Margery]

Ah, just curiosity. I am like a kitten. Mrrow.

 

[Jade Margery]

Well... how will it get to heaven if it turns to dust?

 

[Maren]

how will my heart get to heaven if its in someone elses body. the soul of my heart i mean.

And if you accept a donor heart, since by your logic their heart's soul will be stuck with you, perhaps in heaven you'd have that person's heart's soul rather than your own. Though, personally, I think if Christ has the ability to resurrect you, I would think he has the power to ensure that you have your complete soul in heaven.

 

[Sitswithamouse]

because when you die and your body starts rotting, then it goes to heaven i think so if it my heart is in someone elses body then it might not get there and ill probably die again.

In christian theology, your body turns to dust.
Therefore your body is of no use because God creates a new body for you in the after life.
The only time I have heard the theory that you resurect with your body is from Jehovahs witnessess. (not saying your are or it is right, but as I believe, no person is so great that he lay down his body for another and that should include your organs as they give life to another when you are gone.
Wether we do ressurect or just fade to nothing, our legacy and love for others and their right to live after we are gone is something we as humans should strive for, not to be martyers(typo) but to let others benefit from our own lives.
I would still want another to benefit from my organs wether they contribute or not, we all have different beliefs or ways of seeing things and if science can progress in years to come and I can benefit a child or a person who has need for my waste (so to speak) I would be happy to give it to them, no questions asked or no points for valour wanted.

 

[Psudopod]

where as if they dont get my organ then they will get into heaven quicker.

Yes. They'll die. I believe 4 people a day die waiting for transplants. Do you really think God would keep someone out of heaven because they'd recieved a transplant organ and have a shot at life.

I've made my family very clear that I want to be a donor. I hope if I die before them it gives them solace that I can do some good even in death, and I hope I help someone go on and have a life they might have been denied.

In the event I can't be a donor, I think I'd like my body donated to medical science.

 

[Ectezus]

i think if god brought me a heart donor he would sort it out so that the other person would get to heaven.

Conflict alert!

im a little scared of becoming an organ doner as what will happen if you need your organ in heaven? i wouldn't want to be without my heart, i think our bodies are precious and i dont think it is worth the risk. and if someone else takes my organ then they wont be them anymore and they might not get into heaven.

Please apply your own logic on your own posts.

There's no reason to believe that the heart has a specific soul in it and will travel along with it if transplanted. Besides, how dumb is your god if it actually works that way? He's all-knowing right? You would think he thought of this problem before and have the knowledge that humankind would eventually use donors.

- Ectezus