First off, I am an organ donor, because what I'm going to say next might make you think otherwise.
Secondly, I keep hearing the word die here -- you do not have to always "die" to be an organ donor under some state or federal laws.
The big issue is that many organs should be transplanted while the body is still alive and that puts a "spot decision" on the paramedics or doctors involved.
The last thing the overwhelming majority of medical professionals want to do is make a wrong decision, but a lot of decisions come down to probability.
It's not merely a matter if you die, but the chances of you dying, and if it's high enough, they will turn you into a donor before you are actually dead.
There are even a few cases in some states/federal where the rule of law is that if you are in a reduced state of "quality of life," they can terminate your life and use your organs.
Now there are a lot of false "urban legends" around this, but there is also some black market dealings at times.
As much as 99.99% of paramedics are good people, they are not well paid, and some have some have done some rather unethical things in their time.
Now it's extremely rare that you could be a victim of this, but understand if you sign up to be an organ donor, it's a remote possibility.
Now, again, I am an organ donor because I believe the benefits outweigh the rare risks of everything from professional, medical judgment (even of paramedics) to unprincipled people.
Now should the US ever lift the ban on paid organ donations, I will remove myself as an organ donor because it will massively increase the fraud.
It's not like making drugs legal to reduce the black market and corruption, because they can be made in mass quantity and supply, with much of the cost comes from the fact that they are illegal.
Available organs to donate are still limited regardless of whether or not they can be paid for legally or illegally, which means bidding wars may result in very high prices, and people seeing opportunities they would not under the current system that disallows paying for donations.
Secondly, I keep hearing the word die here -- you do not have to always "die" to be an organ donor under some state or federal laws.
The big issue is that many organs should be transplanted while the body is still alive and that puts a "spot decision" on the paramedics or doctors involved.
The last thing the overwhelming majority of medical professionals want to do is make a wrong decision, but a lot of decisions come down to probability.
It's not merely a matter if you die, but the chances of you dying, and if it's high enough, they will turn you into a donor before you are actually dead.
There are even a few cases in some states/federal where the rule of law is that if you are in a reduced state of "quality of life," they can terminate your life and use your organs.
Now there are a lot of false "urban legends" around this, but there is also some black market dealings at times.
As much as 99.99% of paramedics are good people, they are not well paid, and some have some have done some rather unethical things in their time.
Now it's extremely rare that you could be a victim of this, but understand if you sign up to be an organ donor, it's a remote possibility.
Now, again, I am an organ donor because I believe the benefits outweigh the rare risks of everything from professional, medical judgment (even of paramedics) to unprincipled people.
Now should the US ever lift the ban on paid organ donations, I will remove myself as an organ donor because it will massively increase the fraud.
It's not like making drugs legal to reduce the black market and corruption, because they can be made in mass quantity and supply, with much of the cost comes from the fact that they are illegal.
Available organs to donate are still limited regardless of whether or not they can be paid for legally or illegally, which means bidding wars may result in very high prices, and people seeing opportunities they would not under the current system that disallows paying for donations.
