Opt out donor cards & coma

[Rye]

I was reading a thread on another forum and I presented myself with this moral issue in my head in a reply and the wider implications.

Okay, first, I support the idea that donor cards should be sought to opt out of donating organs and body products after death, instead of the opt in nature of the law as it stands.

Secondly, I am a monist and a materialist, I think that the physical structure of the brain is what defines us, that its working parts are us, and that human embryoes aren't equivalent to full people in any shape or form due to their lack of complex neural systems that allow for cognition in the first place.

The problem arises with irretrievable coma patients that don't experience anything or have any sort of "beyond minimal" spark of life in their brains but are kept alive.

Should it be assumed that we should be able to medically experiment on people in such a state unless the family opts out or the person opted out before they ended in such a state? Would you like to be used in such a way if you were severely comatose, or would you rather be put down and then have your organs harvested, with the potential of your living body somewhat squandered?

[Dark Flame]

At that point, it really doesn't matter to me. Whatever is deemed most useful at the time. Whether my organs are harvested or my body is used for experiments, whatever would be the most helpful to the greatest number of people.

That most likely means medical experiments, and personally, I'm okay with that.

[Superman]

We should probably clarify that, in the United States, donating organs is strictly voluntary. The laws here are the opposite of most donor laws in Europe; it's assumed that you want to keep your organs unless you choose to donate them. By the way, anyone know the laws regarding this in Canada?

Personally, after I die, what the hell do I care what happens to the pieces of flesh that allowed me to function? I'm not functioning at that point.

[Temjin]

By the way, anyone know the laws regarding this in Canada?

I don't know about outside Manitoba, but when I was sent my medical card, there was a place to sign that basically said it's okay to give my organs to someone else if I die.

So, it's basically the same. You have to volunteer for it instead of opting out.

And as for the OP, I don't think it should just be assumed that it's okay to experiment on a brain-dead body. Just feels wrong. It should be something you volunteer for.

[Adrian Laguna]

The problem arises with irretrievable coma patients that don't experience anything or have any sort of "beyond minimal" spark of life in their brains but are kept alive.

The state you describe is not a coma, but rather a "persistent vegetative state". A person in a coma is basically permanently asleep, but they may dream, and occasionally they do register outside stimuli and might even remember it if they wake-up.

[Rye]

The problem arises with irretrievable coma patients that don't experience anything or have any sort of "beyond minimal" spark of life in their brains but are kept alive.

The state you describe is not a coma, but rather a "persistent vegetative state". A person in a coma is basically permanently asleep, but they may dream, and occasionally they do register outside stimuli and might even remember it if they wake-up.

Fair enough.

[Aaron]

By the way, anyone know the laws regarding this in Canada?

I don't know about outside Manitoba, but when I was sent my medical card, there was a place to sign that basically said it's okay to give my organs to someone else if I die.

So, it's basically the same. You have to volunteer for it instead of opting out.

As far as I know, it's the same across Canada. You have to opt in to donate your organs. Both my wife and I are donors. We had to opt in in Ontario and BC.

[Justforfun000]

If I die, I don't care. It bothers me on a level in my head when I'm alive and thinking about it, but how could I give a shit when I"m gone? It'd be selfish to say no. It will NEVER be any good to me as a vehicle for living again, so any use I can be possibly used for, by all means.