Comments on: Tackling the Global Organ Shortage

By: Zac Radford

Zac Radford — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:09:02 +0000

They have also instituted an opt-out donation policy. Unless one opts out of organ donation, the default assumption is that one wishes to be a donor.

By: Mustafa Al-Mousawi

Mustafa Al-Mousawi — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:14:35 +0000

I would like to thank all those who participated in the forum on Tackling the Global Organ Shortage, especially those who sent their comments and questions.

Organ transplantation has been tarnished by unethical practices resulting from shortage of vital organs.

Nobody should accept using the poor as organ providers. The ultimate solution is to make enough organs available by using organs and tissues from the deceased rather than burying these organs.

If every deceased becomes a donor then we will have a surplus of organs rather than shortage.

I enjoyed this forum. Thanks to World Science for providing the opportunity to discuss this important topic.

By: Mustafa Al-Mousawi

Mustafa Al-Mousawi — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:48:10 +0000

Thank you Prof. Alnono

I agree with you. Most Muslim countries enjoy large families with strong bonds enforced by religious beliefs.

Still whenever there are poor donors who are willing to sell their kidneys and patients who can afford buying them there seem to be a tendency for patients to buy kidneys rather than take them from relatives. Our experience in Kuwait has clearly showed this.

By: Prof.Ibrahim Alnono

Prof.Ibrahim Alnono — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:04:31 +0000

Nearly 90%of our Yemeni patients have one or more of relative donors,where they have motivation to donate one of their organs,due to strong family bonds and relegious believes.For this issue the donor shortage is minimal and specified for unsuitable related donors.

By: Mustafa Al-Mousawi

Mustafa Al-Mousawi — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:05:05 +0000

Dear Elsa

Thank you for your question
I read the article you referred to on Scienceblogs and I have the following two comments:

1. The figures given in the articl for donation in different European countries are inaccurate. Actually Austria and Belgium have nearly similar rates. The same applies to donor rates in Germany and Netherlands.

2. In countries with “opting out” laws, the donor often does not have to say yes or no. He is presumed to say yes to donation unless he is against donation in which case he has to register his “no”. That is why donation rates are higher in countries with opting out (presumed consent) law because the majority of people will not write to say no unless they are strongly against donation.
Thank you again

By: Mustafa Al-Mousawi

Mustafa Al-Mousawi — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:31:50 +0000

Thank you DJ

Since I am not working in the field of bone marrow transplantation, which is a branch of Hematology not Organ Transplantation, I cannot comment on your question.

By: DJ

DJ — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:22:41 +0000

I’m curious about live donations. Specifically bone marrow transplants. Do you know of first hand accounts from donors describing their experiences and complications they faced following donation of bone marrow? Thanks.

By: Elsa Youngsteadt

Elsa Youngsteadt — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:50:22 +0000

Regarding the right to choose whether to give organs–this interesting post over at Scienceblogs refers to a study which suggests that people are more likely to become organ donors if they have to check a box to NOT become a donor, rather than having to check a box to BECOME one.
http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2008/10/dan_ariely_at_davidson.php
Do you have any additional information on this? Does that system really explain the rates of organ donation in European countries?
Thanks!
Elsa

By: Mustafa Al-Mousawi

Mustafa Al-Mousawi — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:23:32 +0000

Thank you Dave

I fully agree.

I may just add that every country should give its citizins the chance to be donors e.g. when they apply for driving licences or ID cards. In many under-developed countries people may not be aware or not given the chance to become donors.

Given priority to have a transplant can only be applied when people are given the right to choose.

By: Dave Undis

Dave Undis — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:20:30 +0000

About 50% of the organs transplanted in the U.S. go to people who haven’t agreed to donate their own organs when they die. As long as we let non-donors jump to the front of the waiting list if they need a transplant we’ll always have an organ shortage.

There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage — give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.

Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers at http://www.lifesharers.org. Membership is free. There is no age limit. No one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.

Giving organs first to organ donors makes the organ allocation system fairer, and it creates an incentive for non-donors to become donors.