Maybe get people to sign up to the Organ Donor register instead?

[oursin]

Should we sell our kidneys?

My feeling, on finding somebody who is apparently a reader in political theory at a well-respected institution of Teh Highah Learninz positing this, is that he may have read a lot of political theory, poor lamb, but maybe he should spend some time with dystopian science fiction if he's going to contemplate these sort of questions.

I suppose, with the Organ Donation register, there is an issue that a) it is Opt-In and b) presumably by the time many people reach that state when their organs come up for donation, those organs are probably past their Best Before date.

(I just now, in connection with an entirely unrelated transaction with a government body, was solicited to sign up with the Organ Donation Register. Already have, thanks, if anyone will want my tired old organs when the time comes.)

And on the intrusion of Commerce into this matter, has this person considered the sorts of things that have been happening - only, one admits, affecting the bodies of wymmynz? - over selling their eggs, or being surrogates, and the stories one hears are Not Pretty.

He might also consider Richard Titmuss' famous 1970 work The Gift Relationship: From Human Blood to Social Policy on blood donation:

[T]he author compares blood donation in the US and UK, contrasting the British system of reliance on voluntary donors to the American one in which the blood supply is in the hands of for-profit enterprises, concluding that a system based on altruism is both safer and more economically efficient.

(Also I am not sure about his understanding of the dynamics at play here:

In the 18th century, for example, some viewed being paid to sing as akin to prostitution, and professional opera singers, particularly women, could be deemed morally suspect. At that time, therefore, it might have seemed appropriate to subject professional singing to legal strictures, just like prostitution.

I really think this was - dependent upon local legal systems of course, but, really, don't get me started on that - much more about social stigma. Which adhered to publicly performing women for a lot longer, mate.)

(I'm also thinking - has this one cropped up on agonyaunt or have I seen it elsewhere - of that scenario in which member of a family - even an estranged member of family - is being heavyed into being a donor for a relative because they are A Match. Was it even child adopted but later traced?)

Comments

[heleninwales]

I thought it had changed to Opt Out, but perhaps that was just Wales? Ah, yes. Having now done a quick search, it is Opt Out here in Wales. I don't know why England hasn't followed suit.

I opted in years ago, though I'm already so old that any useful organs would probably not be wanted. I know there's also a box to tick when you renew your driving licence, so that might encourage a few more to opt in to the scheme.

[arkessian]

I meant that in England you are opted-in by default, and have to explicitly opt out. Obviously I didn't put it clearly.

[heleninwales]

Sorry, I should have read more carefully, but in oursin's post, it says, "with the Organ Donation register, there is an issue that a) it is Opt-In", which confused me because I read that as meaning that one has to take the deliberate step of opting in whereas, as you say, I thought we were opted in automatically and you had to opt-out if you didn't want to be included.

[oursin]

Since the Passport Office automatic reponse emails are exhorting me to sign up to the Organ Donor Register (which to the best of memory I'm already on), my inference is that it remains opt-in.

[arkessian]

It isn't, but the best way of ensuring your wishes are followed is to opt-in explicitly (belt and braces).

[nineveh_uk]

It's Opt In automatically, but with the big caveat that they ask your family anyway. So if you join the register, then they have evidence of your wishes that can be presented to your family.

So family still get to override wishes, unfortunately.