SHOULD EVERYONE BE EXPECTED TO DONATE SUITABLE ORGANS

AFTER DEATH
An average of 18 people dies each day waiting for transplants that cant take
place because of the shortage of donated organs, according to the
government site organdonor.gov in the United States. The situation of finding
organ donors is as dire in the United Kingdom: More than 500,000 people are
dying, but fewer than 5000 people die in circumstances where they can
become a donor each year, and in 2015 alone, 1300 people either died while
on the waiting list or became too sick to receive a transplant. In the United
Kingdom and Europe, legislation on organ transplant using various versions of
the presumed consent or informed consent systems has met with prominent
successes in saving lives. In 1987, Singapore enacted the Human Organ
Transplant Act which provides a presumed consent organ donation system
that allows for the removal of specific human organs of people who have died
for the sole purpose of transplant. There is no question that such legislations
and systems will benefit many lives and families. With more organs being
made available, it will also help to advance medical research and knowledge
in this field of study. While the needs and benefits are overwhelming, the
freedom of choice and belief has to be respected.
One act of pure love of saving life is greater than spending the whole of one
times in religious offering to the gods, says the teachings of Buddha. There
is really nothing more sacred than life itself. Many thousands of lives and
families are devastated each year not because their loved ones die of natural
causes or in accidents, but due to failing organs which are diseased or
hereditary. The desperation is profound when modern medical expertise has
the means to save them but the long wait cannot. Many could have continued
to live and lead fruitful lives raising and caring for their families, and
contributing to the stability of the society at large only if more organ donors
could be found. It could be argued that everyone in the society has a moral
duty to save lives by donating their organs after death and thereby fulfilling
their complete obligations to humanity. The promotion and legislation of
donation of organs will be one important step in the right direction for
everyone to fulfill the expectation of giving up their organs after death so that
others stricken by organ failures may live.
The donation of organs will not only benefit patients, but also contribute
significantly to the research and development in the field of biomedical
science and engineering of organ transplant. The knowledge evolved may find
cures for previously incurable diseases and breakthroughs in medical
procedures. In the field of biomedical engineering, artificial organs that
perform the function of natural human organs can help to alleviate the
problem of lack of organ donors by sustaining the patients while waiting for
their transplants. In some cases, artificial organs can replace failed human
organs altogether. In the state-of-the-art gene-editing technologies for
xenotransplantation, researchers are optimistic in starting human trials with
organs such as kidneys from genetically modified pigs in the near future. As
science advances, suitable alternatives to human donor organs may be found,
but this would not happen overnight or without the general support of the
people to donate their organs in the name of science to make it a reality one
day.

SHOULD EVERYONE BE EXPECTED TO DONATE SUITABLE ORGANS

AFTER DEATH
The followers of the Shinto faith believe that a cadaver is not pure and organ
transplant is not allowed. In many Asian cultures, people believe in
reincarnation and life after death. The dissection of their loved ones to remove
their organs will be traumatic and bring bad fortune to generations of their
families. The staunch Jehovahs Witnesses are often against organ donation
because of their belief prohibiting blood transfusion. There are many others
who are not receptive to the idea of having their bodies defiled even in death.
This may be a superstition or simply a taboo subject. The donation of organs
is also highly subjective and unpredictable when the donors age and health
condition comes into question. In the United States and the United Kingdom,
the opt-in system is being adopted in general for any individual wanting to be
an organ donor after death. Notwithstanding the urgency and compelling
reason for every individual to donate their organs after death, the personal
freedom and belief of making such choices can only be respected and not
expected.
The donation of organs after death may be expected as a final gift that
individuals bestow on humanity in saving precious lives of families, and in
advancing scientific and medical progress. However, any such expectation
should be a matter of personal choice rather than moral compunction
enforced by the society or ones sense of obligated altruism.
By Dad dated 29 MAY 2016 (791 words)