Fweethawt Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I somewhat think this is a good idea. http://m.guardiannews.com/society/2013/jul/02/opt-out-organ-donation-wales Thing is, I can foresee there being an enormous surplus of organs in the near future. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardus Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I somewhat think this is a good idea. http://m.guardiannews.com/society/2013/jul/02/opt-out-organ-donation-wales Thing is, I can foresee there being an enormous surplus of organs in the near future. Thoughts? There is a tremendous shortage of organs now and no foreseeable end to that shortage. The biggest issues are the difficulties getting matches (so you don't have huge rejection problems), and getting the organs on time (so they don't degrade to uselessness before you can transplant them). A few organs are easier to work with (eyes for example) but most are so difficult to get, maintain, match, transport, and implant that shortages are a huge problem and will be for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardus Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Actually, I saw a Youtube from Dr. Michio Kaku, he said they are starting to be able to grow human organs in animals and in some cases, free standing in Laboratories from your DNA and random stem cells and the tissues will match your own. This is very preliminary work. It's a minimum of 10 years from even the earliest efforts at human experimentation. Probably longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pops Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 It's a good idea in my view, health professionals have long had to interrupt a very sensitive time for grieving relatives and ask permission to use organs or tissue. At least this way you have the opportunity to make sure any objections are taken into account ahead of time so your relatives won't have to go through that additional trauma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pops Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Double post sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ContraBardus Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Actually, there was mention of me getting some organs grown from my own stem cells prior to me no longer needing transplant. They seemed to think there was a good chance I could hold out long enough to be involved with it in the early stages of implementing it in humans. UF is one of the colleges that is actively researching this, and it's further along than you might think. They're also developing technology that keeps harvested organs viable longer. Also, there will never be a surplus of organs if we aren't able to grow our own. Harvesting organs takes a very specific type of circumstances. They can't simply be pulled from any dead body. Donors have to be dead in a very specific way in order to be eligible to donate organs. Organs are harvested from people who are brain dead, but their body is kept functioning despite it through life support. That doesn't mean that they are alive, but that their bodily functions can be kept going after they have died so that organs are viable for transplant. It also must be done very quickly. There is a very short window that organs can be transported, assessed, and transplanted. [uF is working on technology that makes them last longer and creating a greater window of opportunity, but it's still something that must be done very quickly.] This is why it is so difficult to get organs in transplant cases. There is a huge waiting list and it most often takes a very long time. I was up for transplant myself and I've learned a lot about it. Kind of scary stuff, but better than the alternative. I know several people who are both waiting and have received organs. [Hearts mostly.] It was a very humbling experience. I never thought I'd be relieved to hear I'll be getting open heart surgery. That is the weirdest feeling. I'm actually looking forward to it. I'll be getting the operation at the end of August. Strange that I'd look forward to such a thing. I'm not really nervous about it, but my family is a mess. I'm the focus of constant worry and it's kind of tiring. Everyone I know is far more upset and worried about it than I am. It's kind of surreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesG Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I am glad for you Contra while surgery is never a guarantee it is a lot safer nowadays . Honestly who needs their organs after they pass selfish people who are obsessed with keeping their organs to the grave are no better than misers who die hoarding their wealth. I am proud to say I am an organ donor and that if I were to pass I hope my organs stay intact long enough to extend some ones life. Religious zealots who think they need their organs for the after life piss me off. Organ donation should be standard procedure at this juncture in society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamecock1973 Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Actually, I saw a Youtube from Dr. Michio Kaku, he said they are starting to be able to grow human organs in animals and in some cases, free standing in Laboratories from your DNA and random stem cells and the tissues will match your own. This is very preliminary work. It's a minimum of 10 years from even the earliest efforts at human experimentation. Probably longer. Maybe so, but it is conceivable that within many of our lifetimes it might be possible to produce certain replacement parts cheaply and plentifully. Cheaply? Don't count on it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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