Saturday, January 19, 2008

A Brave New World

from http://www.newstarget.com/

"Thanks for "Volunteering" Your Organs!Speaking of incredibly stupid things, the U.K.s Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced a plan to steal organs from dead patients by acting on what he calls "implied consent to donate organs." This is not a joke, by the way: It's true! If Brown gets his way, patients who die in the U.K. will have their organs immediately harvested and sold to the high-profit organ donation industry, where every spare organ generates at least $250,000 in profits for the hospitals, surgeons and drug companies involved. Patient consent is no longer required -- it is implied by the State. I'm not kidding. It's being called "implied consent." Besides, what patient can possibly object? Dead people don't argue with you, right?Apparently, Brown has already volunteered to have one of his own organs donated away -- his brain! The organ was promised to U.S. President George W. Bush, who has yet to receive the brain implant due to the fact that the removal of his old brain could not be accomplished because surgeons couldn't find it! Instead, they've decided to dose him up on statin drugs and hope the dementia fades away...There's one thing that's always bothered me about organ harvesting, even from organ donor volunteers: Isn't it true that if the patient dies, their organs lose oxygen and start deteriorating within seconds? So isn't it in the interests of the high-profit organ harvesting and transplantation industry profiteers to get to work harvesting from patients before they're really dead? The brain stem is alive and active for several minutes after the heart stops beating -- the very same minutes in which their organs are savagely cut out of their bodies and put on ice! Think about that the next time you're pondering the organ donor checkbox on your driver's license.Gordon Brown's mandating the harvesting organs from everyone makes China's policy of only harvesting organs from criminals seem downright humane. If there's one thing you remember this week, remember this: Don't die in the UK! If you're about to croak, run, swim or crawl your way to some other country's jurisdiction so that you can die in peace instead of pieces."

5 comments:

Cazzie!!! said...

I have joined our organ donor list here....it took me a very long time to decide what I would do. One thing was for sure, I do not want my eyes tampered with..it is the only thing I ticked NOT to.

Sling said...

So,they just help themselves to whatever they want??
That's just...goulish!
Having said that,I personally have no use my own leftovers,once I've shuffled off this mortal coil.I've instructed everyone close to me not to even claim my carcass when the time comes...all that paperwork.

Jacqui said...

I really have no problem with it. It will mean that if I don't have my donor card with me (I think here in TX, its indicated on your driver's license)my loved ones wont have to make that decision in what would be a traumatic time anyway. If you believe in God, (I have my doubts) you believe your soul leaves your body so why would you need your organs. I would much rather they went to help someone in need.

Middle Child said...

Cazzie... I am with you Caz...but the older I get the less worry about any parts really... Its not an issue of organ donation, its that the gov presumes rights over our bodies it does not have and makes iit law. Once that barrier is pushed its not to hard to see where it ends up

Sling someone whill have to claim it sling...will get awful smelly if they done.

Jacqui that was you choice. And thats the whiole point. You have chosen. You don't have that right of choice any more in the UK. To some people it is distressing to think of the eyes of a child or loved one ot their own being takren out. Some might think thats selfish, but when death comes theres bo selfishness just grief.

I would not handle anyone taking that choice from me. And I can tell people this, my sister is a renal dialysis nurse and having a new kidney doesn't mean you are well for ever more.... you are alive, and life is sweet...but you are usually never really welll again because of the drugs you have to take to stay alive and stoip the body rejecting what is a forweign object.

Its not about the rights and wrongs of organ donation...

its about Choice and freedom something too many people seem to think is not worth the generations of fighting and suffering our ancestors went through to ensure we even had the ability to read and write... something which was not a right once but a privilidge.

more cowbell said...

I'm not sure if it's the same thing - I dont' know beans about this in the UK - but here in the states it comes up every once in a while to change from an "opt in" program to an "opt out" program, meaning instead of choosing to BE a donor, the default would be being a donor, and you'd have to choose to NOT be a donor. I always thought this sounded like a fantastic idea, as those who felt strongly about it would still have the choice. But reading that bit about jumping in there so quickly ... seems likes there would really need to be some safeguards in place. Hmm. Not as simple as it sounds, I guess.