Great news amon all the doom and gloom

I agree. The reason is that there are too few donating despite advertising, etc
Also, if someone is willing and dies, it's wrong their nearest and dearest have a say. It's often a case of life or death for tbe recipient.
A late friend had a new kidney and it gave her more years until her son was about 11. She had a brain haemorrhage and died suddenly

I signed up to donate my organs some years ago if they can be used as diabetic, I know my blood can’t be donated. The one thing I opted out of was eyes, may seem very stupid but once I was of enough to find out what diabetes can do I have always had a fear of going blind. Came near to it when I had a corneal ulcer,sight isn’t good in that eye then I had eye paralysis. Thinking on it, they would be no good to anyone lol

This is the NHS advice re existing medical conditions and being a donor

Can I become an organ donor if I have existing medical conditions?
Having an illness or medical condition doesn't necessarily prevent a person from becoming an organ or tissue donor. The decision about whether some or all organs or tissue are suitable for transplant is made by a medical specialist at the time of donation, taking into account your medical, travel and social history.

There are very few conditions where organ donation is ruled out completely.

A person cannot become an organ donor if they have or are suspected of having:

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Ebola virus disease
Active cancer*
HIV
* Someone with current active cancer cannot become an organ donor. However, it may be possible for people with certain types of cancers to donate after three years of treatment. It may also be possible to donate eyes and some tissue in these circumstances.

** In rare cases, the organs of donors with HIV have been used to help others with the same conditions.

The decision about whether some or all organs or tissue are suitable for transplant is always made by a medical specialist at the time of donation, taking into account your medical history

It does seem irrelevant if the family can override your wishes. I agree with the opt out legislation and like Catteryslave see it as a gift to help someone rather than something being taken from me.

Exchanging leaf blowers, chain saws and other tools on a reciprocal basis bears absolutely no relationship whatsoever to receiving someone else's heart, lungs, kidney etc so that argument has no foundation at all.

If the leaf blower is faulty you hand it back. Hardly the same with a kidney donated by someone who had a disease but did not dare to opt out just in case they needed a transplant themself.
This issue cannot be treated in such a rigid way

I agree with you Calendargirl. I am 100% behind the change in the law.

It seems my current registration might be valid under the new system so hopefully no change required.

The new system does include the option of which organs to donate. I really don’t understand why some posters didn’t look up details of the new system before criticising it. It makes having a proper discussion difficult

I feel everyone should have the right to decide whether they want to donate their organs and if so, which organs and to which purpose.

We have the right to decide whether we want our dead bodies buried, cremated or donated to medical science, so why should harvesting organs not be the individual's choice?

I can no longer give blood due to my meds which left me sad. So now I carry the donor card, I'm on the register for basically take whatever you can use. And quite frankly I hope my last act can be enabling someone else tobenefit. I hope I never have to see a loved one die for want of a match.

Exactly notnan. Hopefully there will be something like the current register where you can tick a box to say what you agree to being donated and what you don’t.

Its like recieving organs. Nobody is a definite yes in advance. You want to be able to weigh it up at the time.

Opt in allows for that with regards to donating.

The peoblem is that its not a clear yea or no. For people who are a yes with conditions, or a yes in SOME circumstances, they'll feel they have to opt out otherwise it's "all in".

Opt out is a great system.
Those who don’t want to are far more likely to do that, vs those who are willing but too apathetic to opt in

Can I just add for Alexa, when my DD was a medical student they treated their cadavers with the utmost respect and when they’d finished they attended the simple funeral and even brought flowers to thank their cadaver for the precious gift they had given them as its priceless to learn from the real thing rather than a bit of plastic. So I’d have no fear that you wouldn’t be treated well.

I’m curious about what donations other posters would definitely not want to be donated and why? I’m genuinely interested.
For me, to actually die in the very narrow set of circumstances that would even allow organ donation and then to have a good enough organ is a pretty slim chance. So if then I can be of use after my no-use-to-me body then they’re welcome to any bit that’s useful. To me it’s not an act of Big Brother “taking” anything from me. More a case of me being able to provide a final and precious gift that I gladly donate, the gift of the chance of a full life ahead of them as mine ends.
Again personally, if I haven’t opted out, then my family should have no right to refuse to allow my organs to be used, however initially distressed they may be. Thankfully that shouldn’t happen as I’ve spoken to anyone and everyone about my donation consent.

Years ago my best friends son was knocked over by a drug induced driver who knocked him over after driving up on to a grass verge outside their house. The child was 8 and he was in hospital for three weeks and they did various test and then told her he was brain dead. He stayed on life support machine for a further four days and they asked her if they could take his organs. The child's Dad was not in favour but his Mum was. They both held very strong views and eventually they did not take any organs. My friend could not forgive her dh and they eventually divorced 18 months later. Before the accident they had what seemed a solid marriage. The strain of losing their son and disagreement of organ donating just polarised them. My friend said she could not forgive her dh for refusing to allow their sons organs to live on in another body. It is very hard for relatives if they do not both agree. I think it would be better if you could tick to donate certain organs not just the whole lot.

I thought the law was that relatives had to give their consent whether or not the dead person had opted in. Because after death your body no longer is regarded as your property so you can't give consent. In what way will that change legally?

I'd toyed with the idea of having my body go for Research. If They'd accept it. And that's a big if.

My son had just started his studies .... he's doing a PhD now ... and he flatly informed me that I was not to do that. It would break his heart.

He's learned on cadavers and I suppose knows more than most what goes on.

Anyway, they can do what they want with me.

My organs are too old to be any use. I was going to donate my dead body for anatomy students but would not tolerate being referred to as a cadaver. Dead bodies should be treated with respect and donated ones treated with gratitude.

Our bodies just rot if buried or are turned to fine gravel if cremated. Surely organ donation is much better either of the usual disposal methods.Without bodies donated to science where would we be with treatments, medicines and organ donations saves lives, maybe even yours one day.

ooopsminty- this is so so wrong, that family can go against the wishes of the patient, clearly stated in advance. Surely there should be a way of having a donating will made and witnesses by solicitor, that would override this.

I understand completely. And I agree. I believe if it's the wish of the near deceased then it should go ahead.

But it is such a hideous situation. It's impossible to imagine how you'd feel. As someone has mentioned a PM will in all likelihood be carried out but for some reason, some relatives cannot bring themselves to agree. Their loved one is 'alive'. They are warm. Some just can't talk about it. Blank refusal.

Some regret it later.

It would make sense if we were officially asked to decide at some point in our lives (maybe age 25) and our wishes could be clear. There would be an option to change our minds. Then, relatives would understand our decision.

What’s the use of it all once you’re gone? Give and let live.

All these people saying it's their body and they won't be told what to do - it's simple: opt out! You have to do it only once. No-one is making you do anything. The reason it's coming is that so many people who didn't mind never got around to registering and carrying a donor card.