Where is organ donation compulsory

Female 28 years. Female 20 years. A few participants who plan to actively opt-in perceived opt-out legislation as a threat to their individual responsibility and choice. Therefore, the process of actively registering an opt-in decision was viewed as a way of protecting their autonomy and right to decide. I do not believe that my body belongs to the state and as such I want to decide what happens after death. Male 39 years. Participants expressed that by actively opting-in to the donor register and thereby clearly indicating a preference to donate, potential uncertainty and confusion regarding their wishes would be minimised.

I would prefer this to be a conscience [conscious] decision on my part and not something left to the state. Making arrangements myself would also grant some comfort to my family to know that the harvesting of my organs was something I wanted and not something which was decided for me. Male 30 years. I would still like to be perceived as an active organ donor, indicating it was my own choice so that my family does not have to make any difficult decision in such difficult time.

Female 32 years. Therefore, for these participants, actively opting-in to the register was a method of safeguarding their choice and preventing potential family interference after their death sub-theme 3.

I want there to be no confusion on my death, and I do not want my family some who do not hold my views to be upset by, or interfere in my decision after death.

Female 53 years. I want my choice to be clear. Female 41 years. Many participants described simple pragmatic reasons for donating their organs after death and questioned why others did not share the same view. To these participants, their organs were described as personally useless for them, but potentially lifesaving for others sub-theme 1. Often, participants in this response group displayed limited psychological attachment to their organs and likened the act of organ donation to everyday activities such as recycling or donating unwanted items to charity.

What is the point in letting perfectly good organs rot away inside a dead body when they could be used to save lives? I see it as the same principle as taking things you don't need to the charity shop. Female 33 years. Personally, I just think that it makes sense to donate healthy organs when you can no longer use them yourself. We make a conscious effort to recycle paper etc. For some, donating organs after death represented their last act of kindness that was somewhat expected as part of their civic and societal duty.

I believe it would be the most ethical choice, as I would be maximizing my utility to my society through allowing my organs to be given to those who need them most. Male 24 years. I would like to be able to help someone after my death if I can. Organs are obviously not needed after death it seems like the obvious socially responsible action to take. Female 52 years. While, others viewed the act of organ donation as a method of balancing out any negative actions that may have occurred during their lifetime.

It balances the bad things you've done when alive. A bit. Male 44 years. Participants who plan to actively opt-in to the register described the notion of reciprocity as an important factor in their decision to donate. Participants explained that if they ever required an organ transplant, a donor organ would be gratefully accepted; therefore, many felt it would be hypocritical not to offer the same opportunity to other people. For some participants, the donor system was likened to a banking system; as such, it was believed that one should only receive what they put in.

In this instance, if a person is unwilling to donate their organs, they should not be eligible to receive an organ if they ever needed one. I think it should work like a bank if you don't put anything in then you shouldn't be allowed to take anything out. I believe every person who is ABLE to opt in should and those who simply don't fancy it should not be allowed an organ if they find themselves in need of one.

If a person cannot donate on genuine medical grounds then they should be allowed to receive an organ if needed. Female 39 years. If I or one of my children needed an organ I would hope there would be a donor for us, therefore, I expect any of us to be a donor for any other human being in need or an organ.

Female 47 years. Some respondents shared personal experiences of organ donation as the influential factor in their decision to become an organ donor. In the following extracts, participants described how the lives of family and friends had been completely transformed through organ donation. Others described the experience of losing a loved one during the wait for a lifesaving transplant as their motivation for becoming an organ donor. Whilst for some participants, knowing that their loved ones had saved multiple lives by donating their organs upon their death, cemented the importance of organ donation.

My mum, uncles and papa have all had or having a kidney transplant! Female 23 years. Organ donation is giving someone a second chance. Male 36 years. When my Grandfather passed away, he helped 5 different people from donating organs.

This has made me aware of the importance of donating organs and the great difference that it can make for others. Female 21 years. This theme encompasses the view that a deemed consent system taking no action and thereby becoming an organ donor by default serves as the easiest way of indicating a donor choice.

Participants explained that a system of deemed consent was favourable as becoming an organ donor will now require no conscious effort or unwarranted paperwork to be completed on their part. For these participants, deemed consent was viewed as a pragmatic and effortless system that would automatically indicate their wishes sub-theme 1. I'm happy to be opted in without having to fill out any paper work.

I hate paperwork so the less I have to do, the better! Female 43 years. Besides which I'm happy to donate my organs or whatever's left of them. Deemed consent was also regarded by some participants as a way of indicating a desire to be an organ donor without the need to make a challenging or emotive decision sub-theme 2.

For these participants, deemed consent is considered a way of indicating their underlying preference to donate whilst, avoiding barriers that may have previously prevented these participants from registering an active opt-in decision. Opting in means confronting your own mortality, general support for the principal of organ donation and not wishing to confront your own mortality means option 3 [deemed consent] satisfies both.

Male 55 years. Female 50 years. Some participants that plan to follow deemed consent, expressed both a desire to donate their organs, however, were unsure if they were medically suitable to be an organ donor due to physical illnesses and poor lifestyle choices. For these participants, taking no action and following deemed consent will enable them to maintain a positive stance regarding organ donation, whilst allowing medical professionals to assess their suitability for donation in the event of their death.

I would happily opt in but due to a medical condition, I understand they cannot be accepted. Male 57 years. Due to being a smoker and overweight I have thought that most of my organs would be of no use.

I have no objection to my organs being used if required. Female 35 years. This is because these participants, satisfied that deemed consent indicated consent to donate, described general reasons why they would donate their organs after death. For many, motivations to become an organ donor centred on helping others and giving life after death.

Organ donation was subsequently seen as a way of utilising otherwise useless organs to give life to people in desperate need sub-theme 1. I choose it as I have no longer any need for these organs when I'm dead so someone else should benefit from my life - goodness knows I've done bugger all else with it, this is my tiny contribution to humanity.

Female 42 years. Why should we take valuable organs with us when we die, when there are still people who are fighting to live, needing an organ? Organ donation is an amazing thing. Female 25 years. For some, the decision to become an organ donor was driven by the concept of reciprocity. These participants, similar to those in the opt-in group, described feeling duty bound to agree to be an organ donor as they would accept an organ if they or someone close to them ever required a transplant.

I would hope an organ would be available if myself or any friend or family needed. I therefore feel I should be prepared to donate my own organs. Female 36 years. In a similar way to the opt-in group, some participants reflected on their own personal experience of family members whose lives had been transformed through organ donation as their motivation for becoming an organ donor sub-theme 3.

My dad waited 3 years for a kidney transplant it transformed his life when he received it. My father had a heart transplant and would not have survived without the selflessness of organ donors. Throughout, participants in this group described the enormity of the decision to become an organ donor. Although several participants explained that they had been contemplating organ donation for a long period of time, they remain undecided and uncertain sub-theme 1.

I have been thinking about this for many years and am yet to decide what route I'd like to take. Female 29 years. Male 40 years. For some participants, pre-existing medical conditions or episodes of physical illness contributed towards uncertainty around the suitability of their organs for use in transplantation. I do not think I am able to donate as I previously had skin cancer. If it would be permitted I would be happy to select opt-out system. I have experienced a 2-year period of illness diagnosed as Chronic fatigue syndrome, as I do not know the cause I would not wish others to experience this due to any donation of my organs or blood.

Until such times as I can be assured that such would not be the case I would not be happy to donate. Participants felt that they lacked the appropriate information about organ donation in general, and in relation to the proposals for opt-out consent laws. As this legislation has not yet been enacted in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, many were uninformed of the proposals.

For some, more information was required in order to make an informed choice. Really don't have enough information, but would like to have more information about this. Participants who were unsure of their decision also described a desire to choose which of their organs would be donated. Some expressed unease at the thought of donating particular organs and tissue, for these participants, a perceived lack of control over the donation process was an important factor in their decision.

I think not sure covers it. I think there are certain organs I wouldn't want to donate. Male 43 years. Participants expressed feelings of distrust in the medical profession in the event of life-threatening injuries as a key reason in their decision to opt-out.

In December , NHS Blood and Transplant introduced a new feature on the NHS Organ Donor Register to provide reassurance to people that their religious, faith or belief-based concerns would be honoured during donation. The NHS Organ Donor Register now includes the option to record if you would like specialist nurses to speak to your family about your faith or beliefs.

The nurses will have this information available to them before they speak to their family. Our specialist nurses will always do what they can to involve faith representatives if a family requests this.

Answers to frequently asked questions about changes to organ donation law in England are available to download in:. Want to talk to us about the opt out system? We've provided a selection of posters, social media, web and email graphics that you can share to tell others that the law in England has changed. NHSBT uses cookies which are essential for the site to work.

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Helping you to decide About organ donation What can you donate? Who can donate? Ireland Crown dependencies. Become a living donor Donating your kidney Donating part of your liver Bone and amniotic membrane donation. Get involved News Campaigns Share your experience. What is the opt out system in England? What has changed? Why do we need an opt out system? When will the opt out system start? Will you automatically take my organs if I don't opt out?

Am I losing control of what happens to my body? Will you still ask my family's permission? Do these changes affect my children? Will my funeral plans be affected?

What is the deadline to register my decision? What if I don't register my decision by the 20th May ? Can I change my mind? Have another question? Get more answers here If you would like to speak to somebody about changes in the law, please call our contact centre on 23 Read more about the law change You can record your decision to opt in or out on the Organ Donor Register.

Read more about the need for an opt out system To continue our progress, we need a transformation in public attitudes. When did the opt out system start? Read more about who can donate Organ donation can only happen in a small number of cases. Read more about your donation preferences You can update your preferences on the NHS Organ Donor Register quickly and easily at any time.

The opt out system does not apply to children under the age of 18 years old. Many donors go on to have an open casket funeral. Is there a deadline for registering my decision? Read more about registering your decision You can choose at any time whether to opt in or out of becoming an organ and tissue donor. You can: Register to be a donor - Sign up as an organ donor, and choose which organs and tissue to donate.

What happens if I don't register a decision? Read more about letting your family know your organ donation decision If you die in circumstances where donation is possible, your family will always be asked if some or all of your organs should be donated. More of your questions answered. Wales introduced an opt out system in and has seen an increase in the number of families supporting a loved one's decision to donate, resulting in more life-saving transplants for those in need.

We hope that the change to an opt out system in England will see more people agree to support organ donation and help save and improve more lives. See the timeline of events leading up to this change. Get the facts behind common misconceptions around organ donation and funeral arrangements, faith and beliefs, the opt out system, family involvement and more. Get information about the opt out system in England in the language or format that suits you.

Get answers to some of the key questions around the changes to English organ donation. NHSBT uses cookies which are essential for the site to work.

We also use non-essential cookies to help us improve our services, any data collected is anonymised. By continuing to use this website you agree to our use of cookies. Read more about our cookies. Within the first year of its implementation, organ transplants in the country shot up by 60 per cent. A majority of state laws also have the provision to provide state employees with paid leave if they volunteer to be live donors and 19 states provide tax incentives for organ donation.

Currently, America has around 1,20, people waitlisted for organs. This is something private players in the US have also tried to raise awareness about. More recently, Apple offered its users in the US to sign up as donors through their iPhones as a part of their iOS 10 software update. Brazil tried to implement the presumed consent model for organ donation in only to repeal the law 8 years later.

The initiative faced heavy criticism and was widely distrusted by the general public who feared that their organs would be removed before they were declared clinically dead. These protests forced Brazil to go back to the opt-in system and its current donation rate is 16 per one million people.

Pledge your organs, save lives.