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.Freedom means being free to decide what happens to your body and its parts after death too. While I would encourage people to sign up, there's no way the state should be allowed to mandate it or make it the default position.
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.
"Overseas, 24 nations have it. Israel has it. Others have it. And it works without a lot of controversy," Brodsky said.
This could also raise some interesting issues as it relates to abortion. If it turns out the state can mandate that you donate your organs, couldn't it also mandate that you have or not have an abortion? Or perhaps some other procedure that you may not want?
Sorry, Mr. Brodsky, bad idea.
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