4 ms·

Obesity? Let's not forget the primary source of donor organs: participants in car wrecks. No moral panic there, either.

xfitm3 8y ago
According to the CDC accidents are the fourth leading cause of death. I looked but couldn't find a source to cross reference which causes disqualify a organ donor. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
- dionidium 8y ago
  It's not merely about death. You need to die young and healthy for your organs to be worth anything. That's why car crashes are a particularly useful source.
- Retric 8y ago
  You don't want to transplant from someone that died from cancer or AIDS etc. You want healthy organs and they tend to come from accidents.
  - Vinnl 8y ago
    There's often healthy organs and tissue left that can still be used for donation, even in some cases of cancer. Dutch source: https://www.transplantatiestichting.nl/donor-worden/wie-kan-donor-worden/orgaandonatie-bij-ziekte-medicijngebruik https://www.transplantatiestichting.nl/donor-worden/wie-kan-...
    - Retric 8y ago
      Organ transplant recipients are already at vastly increased risks for dying of cancer. If the only other option is death then sure take risks, but it's not a good idea. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/856854 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/856854
      - Vinnl 8y ago
        Often the only other option is death.
deleted 8y ago
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emodendroket 8y ago
We've repeatedly intervened to make cars and roadways safer, crack down on drunk driving, and the like, so I'm not sure the idea that nobody cares about driving deaths is right.
Vinnl 8y ago
I'm not sure what it's like in other countries, but in the Netherlands, patients have to die in a hospital to be eligible for an organ transplant (not for tissue transplants), so I don't think car accidents are a major source.
- emodendroket 8y ago
  Is organ donation in the Netherlands also opt-in?
  - Vinnl 8y ago
    Interestingly, we're at a transition point at the moment. A law was passed last year that changes it to opt-out. However, it still has to come into effect. Additionally, they're currently in the process of abolishing a law that allows citizens to initiate referendums, but it is currently looking like a referendum about the law changing it to opt-out is still going to make it in time to be held before it is abolished. In other words, the change to opt-out might still be put on hold before it comes into effect.
    - emodendroket 8y ago
      That is interesting... I'm asking because it seems to me like the supply of organs, which is already strained in the US (well, maybe less now, but usually), would be too low under the system you're describing.
      - Vinnl 8y ago
        It's usually too low in an opt-out system as well, just less so than in an opt-in system :) But yeah, it's pretty much without a doubt that an opt-out system leads to more donors. The debate is mostly about whether that's worth the restricting people's self-determination, and to what extent an opt-out system would be restricting it in the first place.
SilasX 8y ago
No, but interestingly enough, there are people who freak out that self-driving cars will thin out the organ supply: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/12/self_driving_cars_will_exacerbate_organ_shortages.html http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/1... (To avoid a rehash of the Facebook flamewar I already had about this: Yes, you can be correct on the facts, but still promote a flawed narrative; that's what's happening here.)
mywittyname 8y ago
Motorcycles are called "donorcycles" in ERs for good reason.

According to the CDC accidents are the fourth leading cause of death. I looked but couldn't find a source to cross reference which causes disqualify a organ donor. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

dionidium 8y ago
It's not merely about death. You need to die young and healthy for your organs to be worth anything. That's why car crashes are a particularly useful source.
Retric 8y ago
You don't want to transplant from someone that died from cancer or AIDS etc. You want healthy organs and they tend to come from accidents.
- Vinnl 8y ago
  There's often healthy organs and tissue left that can still be used for donation, even in some cases of cancer. Dutch source: https://www.transplantatiestichting.nl/donor-worden/wie-kan-donor-worden/orgaandonatie-bij-ziekte-medicijngebruik https://www.transplantatiestichting.nl/donor-worden/wie-kan-...
  - Retric 8y ago
    Organ transplant recipients are already at vastly increased risks for dying of cancer. If the only other option is death then sure take risks, but it's not a good idea. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/856854 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/856854
    - Vinnl 8y ago
      Often the only other option is death.

deleted 8y ago

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emodendroket 8y ago

We've repeatedly intervened to make cars and roadways safer, crack down on drunk driving, and the like, so I'm not sure the idea that nobody cares about driving deaths is right.

Vinnl 8y ago

I'm not sure what it's like in other countries, but in the Netherlands, patients have to die in a hospital to be eligible for an organ transplant (not for tissue transplants), so I don't think car accidents are a major source.

emodendroket 8y ago
Is organ donation in the Netherlands also opt-in?
- Vinnl 8y ago
  Interestingly, we're at a transition point at the moment. A law was passed last year that changes it to opt-out. However, it still has to come into effect. Additionally, they're currently in the process of abolishing a law that allows citizens to initiate referendums, but it is currently looking like a referendum about the law changing it to opt-out is still going to make it in time to be held before it is abolished. In other words, the change to opt-out might still be put on hold before it comes into effect.
  - emodendroket 8y ago
    That is interesting... I'm asking because it seems to me like the supply of organs, which is already strained in the US (well, maybe less now, but usually), would be too low under the system you're describing.
    - Vinnl 8y ago
      It's usually too low in an opt-out system as well, just less so than in an opt-in system :) But yeah, it's pretty much without a doubt that an opt-out system leads to more donors. The debate is mostly about whether that's worth the restricting people's self-determination, and to what extent an opt-out system would be restricting it in the first place.

SilasX 8y ago

No, but interestingly enough, there are people who freak out that self-driving cars will thin out the organ supply: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/12/self_driving_cars_will_exacerbate_organ_shortages.html http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/1... (To avoid a rehash of the Facebook flamewar I already had about this: Yes, you can be correct on the facts, but still promote a flawed narrative; that's what's happening here.)

mywittyname 8y ago

Motorcycles are called "donorcycles" in ERs for good reason.