Health & Family It makes me furious to think anyone would object to organ donations

Think you misread

That was the point. The countries on the left are "opt in" and the right are "opt out".

When I said "presented" I meant how their "choice" was framed. Opt in, or opt out.

 

Agree; the fact that they're quite culturally similar precisely demonstrates why "opt out" is so much more effective than "opt in".

 

I get you. By "presented" I thought you meant it was all opt in and it was a matter of how they sold the idea.

 

Perhaps it wasn't the best terminology.

I have read quite a bit on this kind of psychology and cognitive biases (from the temperate of a drink provided to people before having them make a decision influencing their choice, to how providing certain "other options" can sway people into making particular choices when they have to pick one of a few options).

I find it fascinating.

 

Me, too. I love Dan Ariely.

 

Does anyone else think it's odd that the Health Insurance Commission/Medicare Australia is now called 'Human' services?

 

We've got to meet up sometime soon.

 

I think they spelt it wrong..missing the 'e' of human

 

I think you're right Rixter, probably missing the 'in' from the beginning too.

 

The way I see it is that once I'm gone, I don't need my bits, so they can take anything that is salvageable to help others.

 

Yep. Same.

I also think it should be an opt out rather than opt in issue.

 

I can see a major law suit when someone misses the count me out tick on the paperwork when keying in the information in later.

 

I completely agree. Plus I'd take it one step further. If you were an organ donor, you should be moved ahead of all non organ donors if you're on a waiting list for an organ transplant.

Organ and blood/plasma donor here.

 

This could be one of the smartest ideas I've ever heard.

 

It does make sense. Similar to a person waiting for lung cancer treatment who refuses to stop smoking being bumped from the list.

 

This should be mandatory.

 

I'm all for an opt out system as well. Donating organs has been drilled into me from a young child - something my family discussed often. I was a bit shocked when discussing with a relative when she said she didnt want to ... I dont completely understand, but respect that we all have different wishes.

Dont agree with your comments about organ donors being moved ahead of non organ donors. Quite often people who are that sick that they need a transplant cant donate themselves.

As for cremation v burial - I do not want to be cremated.

 

This is a complex question that crosses a myriad of philosophies and has countless considerations. I haven't seen these mentioned, off the top of my head... maybe these provide some different foods for thought.

- Definition of death (e.g. brain death: how do people feel when heart and lungs work, brain doesn't)
- Fear of withholding medical care if one is a suitable donor (PS This doesn't happen - medical care is paramount, donation comes much later and by separate teams)
- Who is getting the organs? Let's think about livers - many alcoholics, (ex-) drug users in that group
- What does it all cost? What is a reasonable cost for a community to fund such a program?
- What does the recipient group add back to the community - is this the same across organ types? Is it fair to even ask?
- Could our current resources cope with the sudden influx of organs that would occur with an opt-out system of donation? If not, how do we select? How do we decline those whose families are desperate to donate?

I don't know all the answers. I know I can't reconcile some of these, and made major life-changing decisions based on this inability to do so.

 

I completely agree, but my high school teacher had other thoughts... He was scared that if he is in the register and something really bad happens to him, doctors would be less likely to try to revive him, when they have that other patient that needs new kidney etc. I kind of understand his fears as well, but that has not stopped me to put my name down to the register.