Re: Illinois considers changin the law on organ donation

[Guest guest]

I'm glad that it looks like Illinois will join the list of states which have First Person Consent laws (Iowa has had it for two years). Enactment of First Person Consent, or for that matter, Presumed Consent laws is not the answer to the organ donation gap. If it was, there would be no shortage of donated organs in those states (the majority of states) which are signatories to the amended Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1987, since the UAGA already states unequivacolly that evidence of an individual's wish to be an organ donor, such as a driver's license checkoff or signed donor card, is legally binding and cannot be set aside. In practice, this provision has not been adhered to, mostly because of squeamishness on the part of the OPO's about possible legal ramifications if organs are taken over the objection of a family. Even those OPO's who, with First Person Consent laws behind them, now "advise" the family that organ donation will take place rather than requesting consent, routinely will halt the procedure if the family strongly objects. It comes down to this: we cannot legislate our way to a reduction of the organ donation shortage and a reasonably sized waiting list.

The transplant community has for too long concentrated on demand-pull concepts like First Person Consent, Presumed Consent, and even donor compensation. In order to succeed we must change the cultural norm, and we can only do that by moving to supply-push concepts. Only when the public is so well educated about organ donation that signing up is the norm rather than the exception, will we begin to close the gap. From my perspective, the chief benefit of FPC passage in Illinois will be the educational value of public discussion of the issue.Steve Rahn

PSC '80 --> L Tx 9/6 & 9/8 '85 (Wash U. - St. Louis)

Recurrent PSC '02 -->(re)Born on the 4th of July, 2003(Re-L Tx at U of Iowa)

"Solve the problem, not the solution" (Dean Kamen)

-- ___________________________________________________________Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com

http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup

[Guest guest]

I'm glad that it looks like Illinois will join the list of states which have First Person Consent laws (Iowa has had it for two years). Enactment of First Person Consent, or for that matter, Presumed Consent laws is not the answer to the organ donation gap. If it was, there would be no shortage of donated organs in those states (the majority of states) which are signatories to the amended Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1987, since the UAGA already states unequivacolly that evidence of an individual's wish to be an organ donor, such as a driver's license checkoff or signed donor card, is legally binding and cannot be set aside. In practice, this provision has not been adhered to, mostly because of squeamishness on the part of the OPO's about possible legal ramifications if organs are taken over the objection of a family. Even those OPO's who, with First Person Consent laws behind them, now "advise" the family that organ donation will take place rather than requesting consent, routinely will halt the procedure if the family strongly objects. It comes down to this: we cannot legislate our way to a reduction of the organ donation shortage and a reasonably sized waiting list.

The transplant community has for too long concentrated on demand-pull concepts like First Person Consent, Presumed Consent, and even donor compensation. In order to succeed we must change the cultural norm, and we can only do that by moving to supply-push concepts. Only when the public is so well educated about organ donation that signing up is the norm rather than the exception, will we begin to close the gap. From my perspective, the chief benefit of FPC passage in Illinois will be the educational value of public discussion of the issue.Steve Rahn

PSC '80 --> L Tx 9/6 & 9/8 '85 (Wash U. - St. Louis)

Recurrent PSC '02 -->(re)Born on the 4th of July, 2003(Re-L Tx at U of Iowa)

"Solve the problem, not the solution" (Dean Kamen)

-- ___________________________________________________________Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com

http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup

[Guest guest]

I agree with the concept you provide. Just look at what has happened to smoking in this country, and to a lesser degree alcohol. The cultural shift as you advocate has created all sorts of smoke free zones now commonplace (remember jets in the 70's? etc.) and has brought a billion dollar industry to reckon with its corporate behavior over many years. Same with the country no longer accepting drunken driving as evidenced by among other things nearly every beverage vendor having a "know when to say when" motto.

I am no strategist, but it seems to me that keeping a positive message in front of the public is very important.

Best Holiday WishesjdUC 1973, Jpouch 2000, Pouchitis 2001, PSC 10-04ston City ILkrmpotich@...

Re: Illinois considers changin the law on organ donation

I'm glad that it looks like Illinois will join the list of states which have First Person Consent laws (Iowa has had it for two years). Enactment of First Person Consent, or for that matter, Presumed Consent laws is not the answer to the organ donation gap. If it was, there would be no shortage of donated organs in those states (the majority of states) which are signatories to the amended Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1987, since the UAGA already states unequivacolly that evidence of an individual's wish to be an organ donor, such as a driver's license checkoff or signed donor card, is legally binding and cannot be set aside. In practice, this provision has not been adhered to, mostly because of squeamishness on the part of the OPO's about possible legal ramifications if organs are taken over the objection of a family. Even those OPO's who, with First Person Consent laws behind them, now "advise" the family that organ donation will take place rather than requesting consent, routinely will halt the procedure if the family strongly objects. It comes down to this: we cannot legislate our way to a reduction of the organ donation shortage and a reasonably sized waiting list.

The transplant community has for too long concentrated on demand-pull concepts like First Person Consent, Presumed Consent, and even donor compensation. In order to succeed we must change the cultural norm, and we can only do that by moving to supply-push concepts. Only when the public is so well educated about organ donation that signing up is the norm rather than the exception, will we begin to close the gap. From my perspective, the chief benefit of FPC passage in Illinois will be the educational value of public discussion of the issue.Steve Rahn

PSC '80 --> L Tx 9/6 & 9/8 '85 (Wash U. - St. Louis)

Recurrent PSC '02 -->(re)Born on the 4th of July, 2003(Re-L Tx at U of Iowa)

"Solve the problem, not the solution" (Dean Kamen)-- ___________________________________________________________Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.comhttp://www.mail.com/?sr=signup