by Rhonda Gail Tremaine

Created on: September 06, 2007   Last Updated: November 25, 2008

When Izzie stole an organ for her beloved patient Denny Duquette on Grey's Anatomy's Season 2, it was actually against the law, but it highlighted the importance of organ donation. There are countless benefits of organ donation. I get that.Patients wait endlessly for a match and if they fail to be aligned with a suitable donor they die, and that is sad. But from an ethical perspective, the utilitarian view is flawed. The fact that someone else in society is in need of something as significant as a body part should not create a situation where the parts are automatically taken from other citizens. Many people in this country do not vote, and some do not even speak English. Imagine if a bill is passed regarding a drastic systemic change. How many people would become aware of the change? How many will understand the difference? Many Americans are used to change and just go with the flow, concerning themselves with the trivialities of daily life. But what happens to my body while I am dying is not something I take lightly. If I fail to fill out the correct government form, I do not want my organs taken by default.

The idea of the opt-out system is particularly troubling because with so many religions in the United States, seizing remains is something that some might find objectionable. Further, the organs must be fresh, and I fear that the death of a donor will be hastened due to the need of another. The existence of such a practice is usually denied. Still, I certainly do not want doctors making decisions about my health based on the organ donor waiting list, but that is my perspective. Others can continue to sign up and become donors. I am not against organ donation. As a blanket decision, it is not for me. The fact that many people will be uninformed, and that there will likely be mistakes, are the reasons I am against such a change to the system.

There are many arguments to oppose my rather emotional and perhaps unreasonable plea. People may think it is "silly" to worry that I will be effectively murdered for my body parts, but there are stories, admittedly few, that float around and suggest that rights of dying patients have been violated. If the system is changed to one where people have to opt-out, it is as if the government is in charge of all remains and that a piece of paper will have to be found at a crucial moment to say that the organs cannot be taken. Because there is little time to go through paperwork at the point of decision, it is quite possible that errors will be made. Further, many family members likely do not know whether or not someone has opted-out and the hospitals will favor the idea that the patient had not. It is much more likely that organs will be erroneously seized if there is an opt-out system. Not only is this idea disheartening on a personal level, but it is simply one more right that would be taken away from the American people.

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