by Lizzie Flynn

Created on: July 28, 2007

Many people recognize the need for organ donors and when asked if they would like to become one readily agree. However, when the donor dies his or her family has the right to ignore that agreement. This is where much of the problem lies. For some they can't bear to think of their loved on getting "cut up" and "shipped off in packages". Many bereaved parents and spouses can't think beyond the moment and don't readily see that they could help save a life. They don't or can't think that their loved one doesn't need these parts anymore and their decision can actually kill another person. Their grief and heartache override the wishes of their dead loved one, which is one of the most important reasons this system needs to change.

Because of this there needs to be a system where the survivors cannot override the wishes of the deceased regarding organ donation. With an "opt-out" system, the only one that could make this decision would be the potential donor. When the time comes for the organs to be harvested there would be no time or lives lost.

This would not create another bureaucracy. Instead it would require the Donor Registry to expand, adding a little more paperwork and retraining. The only extra burden it would add to the medical profession would be to reverse what they're already learning about how to deal with organ donors and their families. People would still have to option of saying "yes" or "no" when getting their identification cards. There would be no increased burden on them. The only real difference is that the law would allow for the harvesting of organs over the objections of surviving family members. The deceased would have their final wishes realized and lives would be saved.

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