Organ donation

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Minster

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Type 1
hi just a couple of quick questions.

a friend of mine has type 1 diabetes but is very ill at the minute with cancer and has been told he doesnt have much more than a year left. he has wrestled with the idea of organ donation as he would like to be able to give his organs to a good cause and help life to continue, but has always been told as he is type 1 he cant donate. is that true?

also is it still true that diabetics cant give blood?
 
Minster said:
hi just a couple of quick questions.

a friend of mine has type 1 diabetes but is very ill at the minute with cancer and has been told he doesnt have much more than a year left. he has wrestled with the idea of organ donation as he would like to be able to give his organs to a good cause and help life to continue, but has always been told as he is type 1 he cant donate. is that true?

also is it still true that diabetics cant give blood?
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If our organs can't be used for transplants, they can still be used for research, perhaps your friend can include that in his will.
 
AlisonM said:
If our organs can't be used for transplants, they can still be used for research, perhaps your friend can include that in his will.
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thank you for the reply alisonm. i will be certain to tell him.
 
Minster said:
hi just a couple of quick questions.

a friend of mine has type 1 diabetes but is very ill at the minute with cancer and has been told he doesnt have much more than a year left. he has wrestled with the idea of organ donation as he would like to be able to give his organs to a good cause and help life to continue, but has always been told as he is type 1 he cant donate. is that true?

also is it still true that diabetics cant give blood?
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Acccording to DUK
Organ transplantation
'People with diabetes can be considered
For many years people with diabetes were excluded from this choice - but now, if you have diabetes and wish to become an organ or tissue donor, make sure that your next of kin is aware of your wishes.
Factors to be taken into account
As with all potential donors, individual medical history will be considered in conjunction with medical knowledge and opinion at that time before a decision is made.

Only two fixed exclusions
There are only two conditions where organ donation is ruled out completely. A person cannot become an organ or tissue donor if:
they have been diagnosed with HIV, or
they have, or are suspected of having, CJD

Blood donation
'people with diabetes who manage their condition by taking tablets and have no complications or other underlying medical conditions.' cand give blood as can 'some people with high blood pressure'
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Living_with_diabetes/Everyday_life/Organ-and-blood-donation/
 
Organ/blood donation

I was treated for breast cancer 2002/2003 and have been told that my organs cannot be considered for organ donation due to the possibly of dormant cancer cells. I have also been told that I can no longer donate blood..

Karina
 
I filled in a donation form years ago and ticked all the boxes though I did state I am diabetic at the time. 🙂

My theory was pretty much that once I'd gone, someone else would be deciding if any bits were useful either for transplant or research and it would depend how long I lasted, how much was useful. :D
 
I've registered as an organ donor, you can tick which ones you'd like to donate so obv i left the pancreas unchecked.
Whether they'd actually want any others i dont know...

I rang the giving blood people about a yr ago and got told over the phone i wasn't able to give blood.... would be interested to hear differently...

Research is a very good suggestion.

Tough topic!
 
Giving blood for diabetics with poor control or on insulin therapy isn't considered to be in the best interests of the donor.

When I questioned someone at the National Blood Service as to the reasons it was more donor care (as above) than being an issue with the donors blood or their having diabetes impacting their blood itself.

With organ donation, I see no reason why non-diseased organs cannot be donated, if a diabetic has renal issues, then their kidneys are of no use, but their heart/lungs or parts of their eyes may be able to assist someone else.

As for cancer patients, I'd expect they would decline the offer due to the fact already raised about the cancerous cells in the body and also the residue of drugs that may still be in the organs from treatment or pain control.

My understanding on donating your body for medical research is that there are actually a lot of people doing this, as such they are very selective about which bodies they will take. This of course could change depending on supply and demand. Just in time bodies 😱
 
Not certain of my facts here, but with all organ donations, even if you are very keen and fill in all the forms, I was told if your next of kin says no, it can't go ahead. The law may have changed, but it is worth checking as one of my aunts refused to release one of my uncles organs after he met with a fatal collision some time ago.
 
Caroline said:
Not certain of my facts here, but with all organ donations, even if you are very keen and fill in all the forms, I was told if your next of kin says no, it can't go ahead. The law may have changed, but it is worth checking as one of my aunts refused to release one of my uncles organs after he met with a fatal collision some time ago.
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They are still working on this area of legislation as the medics hate asking NoK if they can consent to the removal of a donors organs. It seems crazy that the person can decide and then someone else can determine differently and go against their wishes.

If there is a clear register with key details registered on it, including a consent form at the time of pledging to be a donor it would be so much easier. As it is the government have tried via backdoor means to increase the number of donors 'carry the card' well you picked it up years ago and never took it out of your wallet... whose neck is on the line when it gets to court and the argument is you didn't act ethically as a medical practitioner? To save one or more lives from a single fatality a brillian medics career could end.

The same applies realistically to living wills, although they have broken some ground legally, more through the patient themselves challenging the medial ethics boards over legality of a living will, than the patients families.

As always, there are so many areas of law that need to be tidied up, often the case when so much legislation is brought in over such a short timeframe - older legislation if not critical doesn't get ammended to meet todays needs and expectations, new legislation gets rushed through without due time or consideration to consultation, debate or argument.

Hey ho!
 
Einstein said:
They are still working on this area of legislation as the medics hate asking NoK if they can consent to the removal of a donors organs. It seems crazy that the person can decide and then someone else can determine differently and go against their wishes.

If there is a clear register with key details registered on it, including a consent form at the time of pledging to be a donor it would be so much easier. As it is the government have tried via backdoor means to increase the number of donors 'carry the card' well you picked it up years ago and never took it out of your wallet... whose neck is on the line when it gets to court and the argument is you didn't act ethically as a medical practitioner? To save one or more lives from a single fatality a brillian medics career could end.

The same applies realistically to living wills, although they have broken some ground legally, more through the patient themselves challenging the medial ethics boards over legality of a living will, than the patients families.

As always, there are so many areas of law that need to be tidied up, often the case when so much legislation is brought in over such a short timeframe - older legislation if not critical doesn't get ammended to meet todays needs and expectations, new legislation gets rushed through without due time or consideration to consultation, debate or argument.

Hey ho!
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I know in some parts of the world you have to opt out of organ donation rather than opt in. Being slefish and wanting what's best for my family I think this is a better system as it gives my loved ones a chance to have a better quality of life.

The other consdieration is the loss of a relative in any circumstances can be very traumatic and people are very (understanadably) upset. At this point in the game if a doctor says this persons kidneys/lungs/heart/liver could save another life, the next of kin are not thinking straight, so opt out is better than opt in and if gives doctors a fighting chance to do something for others.
 
Caroline said:
I know in some parts of the world you have to opt out of organ donation rather than opt in. Being slefish and wanting what's best for my family I think this is a better system as it gives my loved ones a chance to have a better quality of life.

The other consdieration is the loss of a relative in any circumstances can be very traumatic and people are very (understanadably) upset. At this point in the game if a doctor says this persons kidneys/lungs/heart/liver could save another life, the next of kin are not thinking straight, so opt out is better than opt in and if gives doctors a fighting chance to do something for others.
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i understand the idea behind the opt out system and i gree it could be more beneficial, but look at it from another point of view for a minute and the point is that if you dont opt out straight away but later in life want to, will they still offer you the chance to?

i for one think that even though the system we have is flawed, and quite badly too, it is the best system for now till we can have a really good system introduced that the government has nop control over or influence on.

i know a few people in my family who have the cards in wallets but i also know half of their families wouldnt consent to them having the organs removed. i think some people have a fear of not commiting the whole body to the lord. i for one sit firmly on the side it is good on this as i have first hand proof that the transplants work. i just think it needs more thought as the legal ramifications of a opt out system would be very great. one to think about i think
 
In nearly all opt out schemes, which I wholly endorse, there is always the ability to opt out and if need be back in at some point in the future.

The issue is how and when does one opt out - what is the right of a new born to be deemed suitable to opt into a scheme they know nothing about. Therefore, would the parents of that child not opt them out until they are old enough to make up their own mind?

Perhaps at the age of 11 where the child can through education at school be re-enrolled if they had been opted out - this then causes a data protection issue, because we over protect until the critical information we need it either impossible to find or gain access to or it becomes so corrupted.

Mind you, that said there are parents who on religious beliefs deem they can play God with their childs life by refusing life saving treatment because of a range of their beliefs that they enforce on a human who can't make critical decisions of their own. That isn't one to challenge me on, I have direct views on it and am not open to negotiation - but some think my proposed actions are harsh.

Another potential issue with opt out schemes is notification should an organ become unsuitable for donation. I don't know if diabetic renal damage changes the way the kidney looks to a surgeon? Otherwise how would they know there is some damage without continued updates to the transplant records.

Now we walk into the area of logic, your medical notes are ammended opt in opt out. BUT which medical records? I have two hospitals that look after me and one GP - all have different notes on me, because only the GP (providing the hospitals write to them) have a view of all my medical history.

This is where the NHS is striving to get to holding all patient records centrally, there are too many issues here for most people to see this being a realistic deliverable within the near future.

In the meantime we're left with the paper card in our wallets and the battle with emotional relatives, but the best that we can do is be open and tell people what we want, others religious or ethical beliefs should never over shaddow our own. When one person can control anothers life because of their religious belief, then they trully need to consider their moral and ethical standing.

I'm off my soap box now! 🙄
 
I think Einstein has highlighted a lot of legal and moral dilemas and the fact that medicine has advanced very much in even our lifetimes!
 
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