Great news amon all the doom and gloom

Mauriherb. The family will still be asked. And can still refuse. Despite the wishes of the patient.

They may well have discussed it earlier and agreed but some people just won't allow it.

It's tragic when organs go to waste but if the family refuse, opt in or put, it will not go ahead

Out... not put

Doodle whilst its true that in the past tissue donations were sometimes collected without a clear research purpose or research ethics approval, that is very unlikely to happen today. This covers tissues from the living as well as the dead. I’ve signed firms during treatment giving consent for tissue etc to be kept for research purposes and willing so. I also know that some samples may prove useful in the future as new techniques develop.

Years ago, before the real advances in DNA, patients in drug trials were often asked if their blood samples ( taken as part of their clinical care);could be kept for future research. Now these very blood samples and the sophisticated DNA analysis that can now be done on them is leading to much better tailor made treatments as individual DNA can show which drugs work better on which DNA characteristics. It’s a very exciting development in cancer treatments and made possible because people were happy to have samples stored pending later use.

I also believe that brain tissue taken at PM and stored in the past is now very helpful in dementia research.

In Spain they have a much much lower rate of family refusal. Also in this country, I believe there are variations in family refusal rates across the country - clearly there are lessons we could learn from those who manage better rates. I think we could also do more in educating the public generally on transplants - it’s sad how little publicity the Transplant Games get for example.

I agree with Calendargirl.
Quite honestly, once you have passed on, what is left is just basically a shell and having seen the difference that a liver transplant has made to my friend's son and a heart transplant to another friend's father, they can take whatever they like as I won't be around to see it happen!
I also had a cousin die while waiting for a kidney transplant.
As I am unable to donate blood because I have had a blood tranfusion, they can take what they like!

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.

When my cousin died, he had asked his daughter beforehand (he had cancer) to be cremated. His sister, an 'extreme' catholic, told the grils they were not allowed to cremate him as it was against his religion and he needed his body for resurrection (!?!). They did what their father had clearly asked for- never had any contact since.

For a family to go against the clear wishes of their loved ones is so so wrong.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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’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.

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.

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

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".

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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