I feel like this could be dangerous for donors. It creates a sort of incentive to declare people dead prematurely. When standards for death are lower you may have instances where people don't bother with the effort they would otherwise because they see the freeing up of organs as a positive outcome. I don't know about you, but if I went into a coma for 5 years or whatever I'd rather roll the dice on being one of those few people who just wake up one day than just give up because the numbers say my chances aren't great. Hell, I'd freeze myself after death if I had the money just to get a non-zero chance of resurrection. I mean it probably doesn't even work and maybe reincarnation or something is a thing or whatever and there's really no need, but I don't know that. From where I'm standing it sounds like death is permanent, so if it can be staved off by sitting around in a bed for a few years while medical technology advances and I maybe just wake up anyway, I think I'd rather that than make sure my organs get out to people as quickly as possible. I don't want the little organ donor thing on my license to be the reason I die.
Combine this with suicide being made legal, and I see an awesome side benefit. Currently, people who commit suicide are seen as wrong, a detriment to the system, the bodies left behind scarring people, and so forth. Imagine despairing of life and wanting to end it, and finding out you could volunteer for a euthanasia program in which all your organs would be donated to people in need. And no one would suffer the trauma of finding your body.
That's a terrible idea. Suicidal ideation isn't usually constant and most people who unsuccessfully attempt suicide decide that they don't want to die. Many express an immediate sense that they'd made a serious mistake. We don't want suicide to be an easy and socially acceptable thing to do for physically healthy people. It'd be a huge danger to the mentally ill.
Casinos should be outlawed because some people have a gambling problem that destroys their lives. Motorcycles should be outlawed because some people who drive them get in bad accidents and die and can cause other people to die. Cigarettes should be outlawed because people can develop cancer because of it. Eating meat should be outlawed because it requires taking a life. People who have more than one children should be outlawed because they are contributing to the overpopulation problem. Sex should be outlawed because some people can contract STDs from it, including AIDS. BDSM should be outlawed because there are a small contingent that don't know how to practice safely. Drinking should be outlawed because it can cause drunk driving and kill people. Pornography should be outlawed because children might watch it. Cars should be outlawed because some people are unsafe drivers. People who smoke should be considered mentally ill because they are deliberately killing themselves. People who eat fast food should be considered mentally ill because they are deliberately harming themselves. People recovering from drug addiction who choose harm reduction rather than abstinence are mentally ill and criminals. Sex education should not be taught to minors because they might engage in risky sex. Death is a scary thing so let's avoid any uncomfortable topics a close-minded society doesn't want to face. Because life is sacrosanct, without question, continuation of life is important above all else. But let's kill animals and babies and lethal injection and kill people in wars, because that's okay.
This is a theoretical and a joke besides, so no one crucify me for this, but: So like, people tend to commit suicide because they feel their life is worthless. By ensuring their organs will go to others in need, a potential suicide may suddenly find he has a purpose! He will save others! In finding a purpose, the P-S becomes non-suicidal. But, in becoming non-suicidal, he can no longer find purpose to his life by knowing he is sending his organs on to help others. Our subject returns to his pit of despondence. And, once there... ...he finds his purpose again. I know this wouldn't really happen but I was amused by it.Imagine despairing of life and wanting to end it, and finding out you could volunteer for a euthanasia program in which all your organs would be donated to people in need. And no one would suffer the trauma of finding your body.
That's not at all what it is though. The reason would be whatever catastrophe that made you a donor in the first place. This isn't a discussion about 'if.' it's a discussion about 'when.' To each his or her own though.I don't want the little organ donor thing on my license to be the reason I die.
It is about ifs, though. Even the article mentions that sometimes people come out of comas and you can't really predict when that'll happen. If I would have come out of the coma and they didn't bother to keep me alive because they wanted my liver I most definitely died because of being an organ donor. Honestly, if something like this were passed in the US I'd probably go turn in my license and opt out. I doubt I'd be the only one.