<story><title>New UK Law Mandates Organ Donation by Default Unless Explicit Opt-Out (2020)</title><url>https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/get-involved/news/organ-donation-law-change-due-to-come-into-effect-in-england-on-20th-may/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ninjin</author><text>I have been a registered organ donor (full body, even for research purposes) ever since I could legally do so, which is for almost twenty years now and registering for donation in every single country I have lived. However, not seeking consent is inexcusable, regardless of how noble the cause. Reading “80% of people in England support organ donation but only 38% have opted in. This means families are often left with a difficult decision when a loved one dies.” [1], it is clear that despite a massive amount of popular support the UK government fails to communicate effectively with its populace and instead of reflecting on its failures it now opts for a nuclear option. What about those without family? What about cases where family can not be contacted in due time? What about cases where the UK bureaucracy “accidentally” approves it? I am not a fan of slippery slope arguments, but here is a case where a good cause is hijacked and corrupted by a political body, leaving someone like me that considered donation to be a no-brainer with a bitter taste in my mouth wondering how best to protest as opting out clearly will not cut it given my moral inclinations.&lt;p&gt;[1]: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.gov.uk&amp;#x2F;government&amp;#x2F;news&amp;#x2F;opt-out-organ-donation-max-and-keira-s-bill-passed-into-law&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.gov.uk&amp;#x2F;government&amp;#x2F;news&amp;#x2F;opt-out-organ-donation-ma...&lt;/a&gt;</text></item><item><author>Crosseye_Jack</author><text>New? Law came into effect on 20 May 2020 and received royal on 15 March 2019. Title of the post doesn&amp;#x27;t even reflect that of the link.&lt;p&gt;Want more info on the subject including a brief reason as to why visit (Spoiler: not enough donors) &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.organdonation.nhs.uk&amp;#x2F;helping-you-to-decide&amp;#x2F;about-organ-donation&amp;#x2F;faq&amp;#x2F;what-is-the-opt-out-system&amp;#x2F;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.organdonation.nhs.uk&amp;#x2F;helping-you-to-decide&amp;#x2F;about...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;The UK has been trying to push people more into being donors for a while. Back in 2011 (iirc) they added questions about your status as an organ donor to the driving license application. As the UK has about 75% of the adult population holding full licenses its was a good way of getting the question atleast asked to new drivers.&lt;p&gt;Also&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; Will you automatically take my organs if I don&amp;#x27;t opt out?&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; No. Your family would always be involved before donation takes place, so it is really important that you choose whether you want to be a donor and discuss what you want to happen with your family, so your decision is clear and they can have peace of mind knowing that your decision is being honoured.&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Also this is law in England. Wales has had a similar opt-out system in place since 2015 (Not checked Scotland or Northern Ireland)</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>arp242</author><text>The biggest problem is people who would consent, but just never bothered filling in the form.&lt;p&gt;I think asking people this question when they apply for a passport would be a good middle ground, and&amp;#x2F;or maybe on the intake form for their GP, or other kinds of government interactions (voting registration might make sense in the UK specifically). People would still be able to opt-out of choosing at all, but this would catch the large group of people who just never bothered to register.</text></comment>
<story><title>New UK Law Mandates Organ Donation by Default Unless Explicit Opt-Out (2020)</title><url>https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/get-involved/news/organ-donation-law-change-due-to-come-into-effect-in-england-on-20th-may/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ninjin</author><text>I have been a registered organ donor (full body, even for research purposes) ever since I could legally do so, which is for almost twenty years now and registering for donation in every single country I have lived. However, not seeking consent is inexcusable, regardless of how noble the cause. Reading “80% of people in England support organ donation but only 38% have opted in. This means families are often left with a difficult decision when a loved one dies.” [1], it is clear that despite a massive amount of popular support the UK government fails to communicate effectively with its populace and instead of reflecting on its failures it now opts for a nuclear option. What about those without family? What about cases where family can not be contacted in due time? What about cases where the UK bureaucracy “accidentally” approves it? I am not a fan of slippery slope arguments, but here is a case where a good cause is hijacked and corrupted by a political body, leaving someone like me that considered donation to be a no-brainer with a bitter taste in my mouth wondering how best to protest as opting out clearly will not cut it given my moral inclinations.&lt;p&gt;[1]: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.gov.uk&amp;#x2F;government&amp;#x2F;news&amp;#x2F;opt-out-organ-donation-max-and-keira-s-bill-passed-into-law&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.gov.uk&amp;#x2F;government&amp;#x2F;news&amp;#x2F;opt-out-organ-donation-ma...&lt;/a&gt;</text></item><item><author>Crosseye_Jack</author><text>New? Law came into effect on 20 May 2020 and received royal on 15 March 2019. Title of the post doesn&amp;#x27;t even reflect that of the link.&lt;p&gt;Want more info on the subject including a brief reason as to why visit (Spoiler: not enough donors) &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.organdonation.nhs.uk&amp;#x2F;helping-you-to-decide&amp;#x2F;about-organ-donation&amp;#x2F;faq&amp;#x2F;what-is-the-opt-out-system&amp;#x2F;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.organdonation.nhs.uk&amp;#x2F;helping-you-to-decide&amp;#x2F;about...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;The UK has been trying to push people more into being donors for a while. Back in 2011 (iirc) they added questions about your status as an organ donor to the driving license application. As the UK has about 75% of the adult population holding full licenses its was a good way of getting the question atleast asked to new drivers.&lt;p&gt;Also&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; Will you automatically take my organs if I don&amp;#x27;t opt out?&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; No. Your family would always be involved before donation takes place, so it is really important that you choose whether you want to be a donor and discuss what you want to happen with your family, so your decision is clear and they can have peace of mind knowing that your decision is being honoured.&lt;p&gt;EDIT: Also this is law in England. Wales has had a similar opt-out system in place since 2015 (Not checked Scotland or Northern Ireland)</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>lysium</author><text>Must feel strange to have opted in many years ago and now it’s “just„ the default.&lt;p&gt;This rule has been decided by elected leaders after many discussions. As a citizen you opt in by default into many things that have been different in the older times. School, health care, the BBC, etc. some of which you even cannot opt out at all. 
Why should organ donation be treated differently?</text></comment>