[extropy-chat] ILE: life just got a little more complicated

[Karen Rand Smigrodzki]

> The net result of this (and other efforts) to make organ
> transplants safer, more effective, cheaper, etc. will be
> to strengthen the arguments of those who desire that organ
> donation be made mandatory.
>
> Now, mandatory organ donation would be extropic if (a)
> one did not ever under any conditions wish to be
> reanimated; or (b) whether people were comfortable with
> head/brain-only preservation and the reconstruction of a
> body if one so desired.  However without one of those two
> criteria being satisfied it would seem that mandatory
> organ donation would be a fundamental violation of
> personal rights.
>
> It would appear that we are on a road where at least some
> states may confiscate parts of your remains to preserve
> the lives of others whether you feel this is reasonable
> or not.

    I don't know where you live, but some states do something very similar.
Some states have "opt-out" provisions which mandates that you opt-out
beforehand or else your organs will be snatched. This doesn't sound so bad,
as long as people know they have to register to opt-out; what happens in
application of the law is that organ snatchers can take your organs anyway
if they don't see your opt-out card.
    There is a widespread lack of respect for the deceased's wishes
throughout the world. In many places, the deceased's relatives can
successfully change oppose the expressed desires of the decedent as to
disposition of organs/body.
    There are some systems around the world in which organ donation is
mandatory. Brazil is one such country.
     I do agree with your view that it seems a violation of fundamental
rights.
     Additionally, it is my view that prohibition of contracts for the sale
of organs (either non-vitals which can be taken from living donors or vitals
for taking after death of seller) is also a violation of fundamental rights.
It violates the rights of those who want to earn the money by selling; and
also the rights of those who are essentially condemned to a life of painful
treatments or to death from organ failure because governments don't want
would-be gifters of organs to "miss the pleasure of the gratification of
having made this decision purely out of altruism" (Quoting Dr. Pereira,
President, National Kidney Foundation on 8/8/2003 on 20/20 in response to
John Stossel's question of why selling organs should be illegal.)

   Karen


>
> Discussion?
>