Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Balancing Organ donations and the body snatchers...

In reading this Washington Post article, I do agree that efforts need to increase when it comes to organ donation. However, that said having personally experienced a situation where a loved one was put on life support against the written wishes of that person (not for organ donation reasons) and knowing the hell I went thru in having to have their wishes followed? I can understand some of the concerns as stated:

While praised by transplant advocates, the model law has stirred concern among some doctors and bioethicists. Critics say it could result in people becoming donors or kept on life support against their or their family's wishes. And some worry that the measure could make doctors more hesitant about administering morphine and other drugs to make dying patients comfortable, for fear of rendering their organs useless for transplantation.


I recommend reading the whole article, and I do believe that organ donation should be a voluntary process. I also believe those who are dying deserve every comfort including medications that may damage an organ, the concept of allowing someone to die in pain so that an organ might be more useful, isn't one I'd support no matter who was on an organ transplant list....

1 comment:

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

IMO, if the patient has had their wishes made their wishes known, in writing and in advance, no one should be allowed to go against their wishes..., NO ONE!

As you said Lisa, donation should be encouraged, but it is ultimately a personal decision, and should also be respected.