I understand New York Assemblyman Brodsky's intentions. He wants to make sure those who are waiting on organ donor lists can get the organ they need to live. However, his proposal to make all New Yorkers organ donors unless they opt out sounds a little scary, especially since the government will soon be in the position of having total control over our access to health care.
Organ donation has become a vital way to save lives around the world, but a vast shortage of donors continues to mean people are losing their lives while on waiting lists.But there is a unique proposal that could change all that.
New York State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky nearly lost his daughter, Willie, at 4 years old when she needed a kidney transplant, and again 10 years later when her second kidney failed.
"We have 10,000 New Yorkers on the list today waiting for organs. We import half the organs we transplant. It is an unacceptable failed system," Brodsky said.
To fix that, Brodsky introduced a new bill in Albany that would enroll all New Yorkers as an organ donor, unless they actually opt out of organ donation. It would be the first law of its kind in the United States...
Legal experts said if the law is passed, it will likely face challenges in court from family members or some religious groups.
"I think it's a little heavy handed. I think we should have the right to choose that," said Rachel Rogers of Crown Heights.
But many are hoping this law will help people to make a choice -- one way or the other.
With the government now in the position of deciding who gets what health care and when in the name of reducing health care costs, Brodksy's proposal has a disturbingly Dystopian feel to it.
Update: Cassy Fiano at Hot Air Green Room wrote a post about this issue as well. Several commenter left pretty frightening details from their experiences:
From JellyToast:
My wife s a nurse. She watched a training video put out by the organ donor people. She said it was revolting.The video stressed the importance of organ donation in the most creepiest of ways. She said it was the oddest video she had ever seen.
During a segment, it showed about 9 different doctors standing around a dying patient, scalpels in hand, waiting for the moment he flat lined. The moment the buzzer sounded, they all began quietly cutting at the same instant. It was disgusting.
I no longer am an organ donor.
From Lily (her comment was in two entries because of a comment mishap):
When my son was 16 months old he aspirated a popcorn seed. CPR didn't work and the general practitioner in the ER pronounced him dead and came and told us how sorry she was. Meanwhile back in the ER room a surgeon was pulling rank with the nurses and told them "We don't have the eq..Equipment to say he is brain dead. Send him to a bigger hospital. They did. They met us at the new hospital with a sheaf of organ donor pamphlets and forms to sign. We waited to talk to the new doctors first.
He is fifteen-year-old freshman in High School and perfectly fine.
And the scariest one comes from Vera:
My father in law was a firefighter/EMT for 30 years. He flat out told me that hospitals treat organ donors differently than nondonors and do less to save organ donors. He refuses to be a donor and tells everyone he knows to do the same.
These stories are consistent with what a Medical Terminology instructor told me, which was that hospital physicians are too quick to call time of death for organ donors in order to get the organs. She, consequently, was not an organ donor.
Cross-posted at KimPriestap: No-nonsense conservative opinion
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Comments (14)
Get them death panel mills ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by 914 | April 30, 2010 4:30 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Get them death panel mills up and running, Barry's counting on knockin off the elder white population so he can secure his place in infamy! Pick their pockets take their organs and smile with glee.
1. Posted by 914 | April 30, 2010 4:30 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 16:30
2. Posted by James H | April 30, 2010 4:52 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
If NY wants to end the shortage of donated organs, it should set up a marketplace in which people can legally sell their organs or those of recently deceased relatives.
It's your body, after all, who is the state to tell you you're not allowed to sell your organs?
2. Posted by James H | April 30, 2010 4:52 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 16:52
3. Posted by DaveD | April 30, 2010 5:10 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
I agree. I presume that sometime in the future it will evolve that if you find yourself on a government-sponsored healthcare plan you will be an organ donor - no means to even opt out at that point.
3. Posted by DaveD | April 30, 2010 5:10 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 17:10
4. Posted by GarandFan | April 30, 2010 5:54 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Once MANDATED that everyone is a donor, you'd have a SURPLUS of organs. That means you now have a bidding war from out-of-state/country.
Follow the money. Would it be to far off to foresee "organ futures"?
4. Posted by GarandFan | April 30, 2010 5:54 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 17:54
5. Posted by Michael | April 30, 2010 7:34 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Just because a idiot DEM Asseblyman puts forth a stupid bill does not mean it is going to happen. Idiot politicans put forth stupid bills all the time...few ever become law. Everybody get a grip.
5. Posted by Michael | April 30, 2010 7:34 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 19:34
6. Posted by Glenn | April 30, 2010 8:37 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
First you have to have honest people. The resulting systems will then be honest. Absent honest people you are screwed.
6. Posted by Glenn | April 30, 2010 8:37 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 20:37
7. Posted by Scrapiron | April 30, 2010 8:45 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
O'Dumbo care to kill you and NY is first in line to sell your organs.
7. Posted by Scrapiron | April 30, 2010 8:45 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 20:45
8. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | April 30, 2010 9:52 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
They can have my kidneys when they pry them from my cold dead...awww crap.
8. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | April 30, 2010 9:52 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 21:52
9. Posted by 914 | April 30, 2010 9:55 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Why stop there? Ive got a big organ tax free for pamela anderson.
9. Posted by 914 | April 30, 2010 9:55 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 21:55
10. Posted by codekeyguy | April 30, 2010 10:24 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
First, I am currently (note:CURRENTLY)an organ donor.
Second, I DO NOT LIKE ANY KIND OF "OPT OUT" DEALS. They are coersive.
Finally, if this paswses, I WILL REVOKE MY ORGAN DONOR PERMISSION.
Just one man's opinion.
10. Posted by codekeyguy | April 30, 2010 10:24 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 22:24
11. Posted by DaveD | April 30, 2010 10:49 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Uh, Michael, these idiot politicians don't float these ideas for bills for the fun of it. When they do come up with one of these stupid bills the bills get passed (and stupid bills DO get passed) because people follow your advice and don't take the threat seriously. The bills get defeated because people DO get worked up about the stupid idea. I think you're the one that needs a reality check.
11. Posted by DaveD | April 30, 2010 10:49 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2010 22:49
12. Posted by 914 | May 1, 2010 12:35 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
OK, BIG BEAUTIFUL BUSTEE WOMEN LIKE PAMELA A ARE OFF LIMITS?
Sucks to be YOU
12. Posted by 914 | May 1, 2010 12:35 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 1, 2010 00:35
13. Posted by Falze | May 1, 2010 7:20 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
To be clear - at the moment there's a bill being put together by a few Assemblymen and there are zero sponsors in the Senate and little presumed support in the Legislature overall. It has nothing to do with "Obama coming for your organs", people, stop acting like the wild-eyed hicks that Obama thinks you are. This is a bill largely supported by legislators that have family members that have had their lives saved by organ transplants.
13. Posted by Falze | May 1, 2010 7:20 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on May 1, 2010 07:20
14. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | May 1, 2010 4:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
There are a number of instances which disqualify you from being a donor. I have had melanoma. As a result, as far as I know, I can't even give blood. I imagine HIV or hepatitis are other disqualifiers. How is the government going to keep all that straight? You're kidding, right?
14. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | May 1, 2010 4:54 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 1, 2010 16:54