Where are all the organ/tissue donors?
Every year thousands of Americans die because of the shortage of organ donors and transplantable organs. On average, about 20 people in the United States die every day waiting for available organs (Organ Donor Stats). Organ donor sign-up rates vary from state to state, and currently New York has one of the lowest rates – only around 35% of New Yorkers are organ donors. The national average is around 60%. Every year over 10,000 New Yorkers are left on waiting lists. According to the American Red Cross, less than 10% of those eligible to donate blood actually do so each year.
Address these questions in your discussion post:
What factors do you think contribute to the shortage of donors?
As recently as a few years ago, to officially become an organ donor, New Yorkers could not simply check a box on their driver’s license or go online and register with the click of a button. Finally, New York adopted a totally online registration for those with a driver’s license or non-driver government ID – so now the process does not require printing a form, signing it, and mailing it. (Here is the link to the online registry form) Do you think this will help?
What can be done to improve donation rates? Should an opt-out (presumed consent) policy, or a mandated choice policy be enacted in each state? Should the consent age (without guardian authorization) be lowered?
How can myths surrounding organ donation be dispelled? (such as: doctors being less likely to save your life if you are a donor; wealthier patients paying to be moved to the top of transplant lists)
In 1983, the Food and Drug Administration placed a lifetime ban on gay/bisexual men from dontating blood and blood products. In 2015, the ban was lifted to allow gay or bisexual men to donate blood, but he must have abstained from sex with a man for one year prior to donation. In 2020, spurred by a Covid-19-induced critical blood supply shortage, the FDA revised the policy to a 90-day abstention before donation. Is there recent empirical evidence that supports donation having sexual orientation and identity restrictions? Does this practice reduce the risk of infection?
Think about these questions and other issues regarding organ/tissue donation, do a little research, and formulate a response.
