4 ms·

I agree that there must be a strong correlation. I had a classmate who was horrified to learn I checked the organ donor box in my driver's license. Their paren

by mcny 5y ago

I agree that there must be a strong correlation. I had a classmate who was horrified to learn I checked the organ donor box in my driver's license. Their parents told them if you check that box, the medical staff will be more likely to let you die so they can reuse your parts. I did't have any authoritative answer but the point is there are people out there with fears that sound rational but are completely in the realm of conspiracy theory.

new_guy 5y ago
If you're not able to refute their statement why would you dismiss it as a 'conspiracy theory'? In fact your classmate is correct, you also need to be 'alive' for your organs to be harvested, there's an entire ongoing field of debate in the medical community about the ethics of this, which a quick peruse of the literature will get you upto speed on.
- bserge 5y ago
  Hmmm, how would they deal with a card that says both "Do Not Resuscitate" and "Organ Donor"?
kQq9oHeAz6wLLS 5y ago
> conspiracy theory We don't call them that anymore. The new term is "spoiler alert"
shkkmo 5y ago
In the US there are issues with the organ donation checkbox. I am fine with organs going to save the lives of people on waiting lists. I am less fine with my tissues veying harvested by corrupt "non-profits" that re-sell my bits in commodity markets while undermining the ethics of medical examiners and coroners. I wish there was a way to do one and not the other.
- rdtwo 5y ago
  This is the reason for me too. Someone is making a handsome profit off my body parts and that’s not cool
toyg 5y ago
> fears that sound rational but are completely in the realm of conspiracy theory. Sadly these fears in the UK are well-founded: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alder_Hey_organs_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alder_Hey_organs_scandal * https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/missing-organs-scandal-victims-anger-14208852 https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/missing... There were quite a few other similar scandals, particularly in England. The medical profession in this country, for a very long time, has had a remarkable contempt for the lives of people, probably steeped in the classism and elitism traditionally entrenched in university education in Britain. This might be different today (Alder Hey, in particular, triggered new legislation about organ handling in 2004), but it's hard to shake off such a history. I used to carry a organ-donor card and I'm probably still on some register somewhere, but over the last decade I've kinda soured on the idea. As a clear outsider and a bit of a loner, living in the downtrodden North of England, there would likely be nobody who would oppose an over-eager doctor from pulling the plug on me without even trying to help first, just so that a few waiting lists can be shortened and he can look good with his boss.
- rjsw 5y ago
  Organ donation is now opt-out in the UK.
  - toyg 5y ago
    ah wow, thanks, i see - from last year. Opt-out here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/do-not-donate/ https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/do-n...
- Nexxxeh 5y ago
  Neither of those are about organ donation. If you think that doctors aren't likely to do their level best to save your life and to act in your best interests, you surely have larger problems that you, being braindead at the time, having your organs potentially used to save the lives of others?
  - 5y ago
rdtwo 5y ago
I checked no for the same reason. Also I don’t want corporations to profit off my body parts. It would be different if they shared the money with my family or they at least got to choose who got them.
- Nexxxeh 5y ago
  But then your organs just go to waste, rather than be used to save lives.
  - rdtwo 5y ago
    Yeah it’s true but I’d rather not enrich a bunch of middle men. I think the system is unfair and I don’t want to contribute
    - Nexxxeh 5y ago
      You feel sufficiently strongly to condemn those in need of organ transplant, potentially, to death? If you see them as victims of the system, doesn't refusing to donate your organs literally making things worse for them? It feels like you're saying "I could save your life, but I won't because the system isn't the way I want it." Is that a reasonable summary, or am I misunderstanding what you mean?
      - rdtwo 5y ago
        I see it like i see the Salvation Army. They do a lot of good but every time you donate a portion of the donation goes to hateful causes and so the entire thing is tainted and I refuse to donate to them.
pasabagi 5y ago
To be honest, even if that was official policy, I would totally tick that box. You're much better off avoiding the kind of extreme intervention to prolong life that makes scrapping your corpse for parts seem like a good idea to a doctor.

by mcny 5y ago

new_guy 5y ago

If you're not able to refute their statement why would you dismiss it as a 'conspiracy theory'? In fact your classmate is correct, you also need to be 'alive' for your organs to be harvested, there's an entire ongoing field of debate in the medical community about the ethics of this, which a quick peruse of the literature will get you upto speed on.

bserge 5y ago
Hmmm, how would they deal with a card that says both "Do Not Resuscitate" and "Organ Donor"?

kQq9oHeAz6wLLS 5y ago

> conspiracy theory We don't call them that anymore. The new term is "spoiler alert"

shkkmo 5y ago

In the US there are issues with the organ donation checkbox. I am fine with organs going to save the lives of people on waiting lists. I am less fine with my tissues veying harvested by corrupt "non-profits" that re-sell my bits in commodity markets while undermining the ethics of medical examiners and coroners. I wish there was a way to do one and not the other.

rdtwo 5y ago
This is the reason for me too. Someone is making a handsome profit off my body parts and that’s not cool

toyg 5y ago

> fears that sound rational but are completely in the realm of conspiracy theory. Sadly these fears in the UK are well-founded: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alder_Hey_organs_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alder_Hey_organs_scandal * https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/missing-organs-scandal-victims-anger-14208852 https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/missing... There were quite a few other similar scandals, particularly in England. The medical profession in this country, for a very long time, has had a remarkable contempt for the lives of people, probably steeped in the classism and elitism traditionally entrenched in university education in Britain. This might be different today (Alder Hey, in particular, triggered new legislation about organ handling in 2004), but it's hard to shake off such a history. I used to carry a organ-donor card and I'm probably still on some register somewhere, but over the last decade I've kinda soured on the idea. As a clear outsider and a bit of a loner, living in the downtrodden North of England, there would likely be nobody who would oppose an over-eager doctor from pulling the plug on me without even trying to help first, just so that a few waiting lists can be shortened and he can look good with his boss.

rjsw 5y ago
Organ donation is now opt-out in the UK.
- toyg 5y ago
  ah wow, thanks, i see - from last year. Opt-out here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/do-not-donate/ https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/do-n...
Nexxxeh 5y ago
Neither of those are about organ donation. If you think that doctors aren't likely to do their level best to save your life and to act in your best interests, you surely have larger problems that you, being braindead at the time, having your organs potentially used to save the lives of others?
- 5y ago

rdtwo 5y ago

I checked no for the same reason. Also I don’t want corporations to profit off my body parts. It would be different if they shared the money with my family or they at least got to choose who got them.

Nexxxeh 5y ago
But then your organs just go to waste, rather than be used to save lives.
- rdtwo 5y ago
  Yeah it’s true but I’d rather not enrich a bunch of middle men. I think the system is unfair and I don’t want to contribute
  - Nexxxeh 5y ago
    You feel sufficiently strongly to condemn those in need of organ transplant, potentially, to death? If you see them as victims of the system, doesn't refusing to donate your organs literally making things worse for them? It feels like you're saying "I could save your life, but I won't because the system isn't the way I want it." Is that a reasonable summary, or am I misunderstanding what you mean?
    - rdtwo 5y ago
      I see it like i see the Salvation Army. They do a lot of good but every time you donate a portion of the donation goes to hateful causes and so the entire thing is tainted and I refuse to donate to them.

pasabagi 5y ago

To be honest, even if that was official policy, I would totally tick that box. You're much better off avoiding the kind of extreme intervention to prolong life that makes scrapping your corpse for parts seem like a good idea to a doctor.