Presumed Consent

[Denny]

I am totally against this. Is nothing sacred any more? Should the government have the right to assume ownership of your body after you are dead? IMO No.

I think that the present donor system should receive more promotion, perhaps as part of some sort of general studies in schools. The decision to donate organs should be a concious choice made by the donor, not a default position that the state can take advantage of.

I agree. They can take my piano, by all means, but not my organ.

[Marina]

I am totally against this. Is nothing sacred any more? Should the government have the right to assume ownership of your body after you are dead? IMO No.

I think that the present donor system should receive more promotion, perhaps as part of some sort of general studies in schools. The decision to donate organs should be a concious choice made by the donor, not a default position that the state can take advantage of.

Legally, the dead have no rights. Any consideration of their former wishes in life is given only out of respect to the living, either their friends and loved ones or society in general.

What's more, if the deceased had treatment at taxpayers' expense on the NHS, why shouldn't society get some benefit from their otherwise useless carcass in return (even if they did pay some NI in life) ?

But as I think others have pointed out, given how doctors love playing God, organs should definitely not be swappable in the same hospital or by prior agreement between doctors. Only a kind of "Secret Santa" system, where doctors tending the donor have no knowledge of who or where a suitable recipient might be, should be allowed.