Muslims and organ donation

  • Thread starter Thread starter sharif1979
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:sl:

wow...i started a topic on this many moons ago. lol. There are two very strong opinions regarding this issue.

But as far as I know you can opt-out in the UK now. the only problem is that there is not ONE central register, and even if they do check the main register it may not have been updated in time or sometimes they are in such a rush that the doctors do not check thoroughly enough. forexample a change of name or two people who have similar names etc.
 
It is still an opt in system in the UK, either in life or after death (if family consent). You can opt out i life with an advanced directive or something like that. The possibility of an opt out system though exists if organ donation rates don't increase (I think the Government said within 5 years).
 
MELD measures bilirubin, INR and creatinine (for kidney function which is associated with liver disease) called hepatorenal syndrome.

recognize this guy?

Chiller2005SigLarryHagmanBillDaily-1.jpg



it is Larry Hagman.. my guess is he can afford it, so it doesn't really matter how he spent his life or that he drank himself into liver failure, while my friend's father was a poor guy who worked at the printer and took various odd jobs on the side such as delivering people's foods for pennies and contracted hepatitis B from an unhygienic clinic couldn't afford either the transplant or to merely show up for crappy treatment~!
 
sharif1979 said:
It is still an opt in system in the UK, either in life or after death (if family consent). You can opt out i life with an advanced directive or something like that. The possibility of an opt out system though exists if organ donation rates don't increase (I think the Government said within 5 years).
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having said that.....I am sure that I read somewhere that they can still use your organs if someone else gives consent like NOK. so unless we specifically have it written that we DO NOT want to give organs then the doctors can still use them anyway.
 
That is true - if you have never expressed any wishes in your life then your next of kin can decide for you after death. So you would have to express your wishes either way in life in word or writing.

Unfortunately the opposite is also true. Your next of kin can overrule your expressed desire to donate organs after your death when they have to give consent. Although a new law (Human Tissue Act) passed a few years ago means doctors can now overrule the next of kin (if deceased has donor card or signed register) I don't think ANY doctor would get into the situation of arguing with the relatives - so the new law is good on paper but not in practice.
 
sharif1979 said:
I think the religious groups collectively had objections to a system of presumed consent. .
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& For Good reason, as it undermines patient's autonomy. 'presumed consent' should be true to its original purpose, such as you show up semi-comatosed and the doctors assume that if you were conscious to let them know of your wishes, you'd want treatment, not that you wish to part with your organs!

I have no reservations donating an organ to a family member or a pious Muslim, whether I am alive or dead, but I'd be seriously angry, if they harvested organs without my consent to give to someone who spent their life abusing their body and made enough money to afford a transplant. I don't know if socialized medicine extends itself to organ donations in the U.S but it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars here in the U.S with no prediction as to whether the patient will reject it, or that s/he won't succumb to opportunistic infections from the immuno-suppressive agents..

seems almost frivolous at times to think about it really. And perhaps I have my own biases and judgments and rightfully so when it comes to ones own body!

:w:
 
Ahhhh, jazakAllah kheir. that makes a bit more sense. But still seems a little silly. It needs sorting out. They need some kind of central register or some other kind of way of making sure what they do is right :)
 
sharif1979 said:
That is true - if you have never expressed any wishes in your life then your next of kin can decide for you after death. So you would have to express your wishes either way in life in word or writing.

Unfortunately the opposite is also true. Your next of kin can overrule your expressed desire to donate organs after your death when they have to give consent. Although a new law (Human Tissue Act) passed a few years ago means doctors can now overrule the next of kin (if deceased has donor card or signed register) I don't think ANY doctor would get into the situation of arguing with the relatives - so the new law is good on paper but not in practice.
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Doctors can override it, it is true, but it is hardly done, imagine their public scrutiny when the news paper headline reads, Doctor harvests organ against family's wishes.. the law often kowtows to public opinion, since most people are superficially educated on such particulars of both medicine and the law!

:w:
 
I would vote, Sharif, except you are looking specifically for Muslim opinions and attitudes - so I can't really help you much ...
 
Thanks. Although organ donation rates need to be improved across the board they are exceptionally low amongst Muslims in particular hence the survey specifically aimed at Muslims.

You could forward the survey link to everyone eligible - that would help me immensely. And also encourage all to complete it! :statisfie

Anybody reading this thread, please don't leave without clicking on the survey. 5 minutes of your time only!!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1dXNAG17KkmuUc783xBj4g_3d_3d
 
What other approaches are you trying to screen the opinions of Muslims?
How else are you advertising this survey?
 
Anything I can think of! The weblink has been emailed to friends and family, with all encouraged to forward on. The weblink is being posted in forums such as this. Printed questionnaires are going to be left in mosques, waiting rooms in surgeries, community centres etc... A local Member of Parliament has distributed to local community leaders. If anybody can think of anything else please feel free to distribute the weblink wherever you think it will make an impact or mention it to me.

The easiest method is for people to click the weblink - there are thousands of people on this forum. I could have 10,000 responses in 10 minutes if all took the 5 minutes to fill it in! Patience is a virtue though - I'm sure I'll make it.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1dXNAG17KkmuUc783xBj4g_3d_3d
 
Do you have a deadline for your survey?
 
:sl:
I have filled out the survey. Hope the answers help. I'm actually in agreement with those who are for organ donation but ONLY if the donar gives consent (I don't subscribe to the notion of presuming on that scale!). I was fortunate to read up on this subject a few weeks back so had obtained some very usefull info.
 
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No particular deadline. Was hoping to have 10,000 responses by end of the year and aim to analyze and present findings early next year. The real work will start then!

Also am planning to liase with Department of Health and community leaders so am keen to get the numbers for the survey - looks more legitimate if thousands of Muslims have been canvassed.

Please encourage all to fill it in. Thank you.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?s...783xBj4g_3d_3d
 
:sl:

ive just emailed the local ISOC so hoping they will email it out to the members inshAllah

hope u get a good response :)
 

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