The opt-in system of organ donation means that people have to actively sign up to be donors; the opt-out system means that everyone is automatically registered as a potential donor unless they specifically say otherwise. There has been a growing movement in favor of changing the organ donation system to an opt-out one, on the grounds that it would save more lives (Steffel et al., 2019). The opt-out system has several advantages making it better compared to the opt-in organ donation system. Opt-out systems increase organ donation rates, reduces the number of people waiting for transplants, and simpler and more efficient than opt-in systems. Similarly, it does not require people to actively make a decision about organ donation, which many people find difficult to do. In addition, opt-out systems have been shown to increase public trust in the organ donation system. Conversely, the main disadvantage is that the opt-out system may be against someone’s will, and they may feel coerced. Apart from forcing people against their will, changing from opt-in to opt-out is beneficial since more lives will be saved as a result of reduced organs’ waiting time and availability.
Opt-out systems increase organ donation rates which are useful in organs transplant. An opt-out system is one where individuals are automatically enrolled in a program or service unless they specifically choose to unsubscribe or “opt-out.” In contrast, an opt-in system requires individuals to actively sign up for a program or service in order to participate. Opt-out systems have been shown to increase organ donation rates by raising the number of potential donors (Steffel et al., 2019). In an opt-out system, people are likely to donate their organs because they have not made the conscious decision to opt out. The increase in organ donation rates is due to the fact that people are more likely to donate their organs if they do not have to make the decision themselves.
Moreover, there are many advantages to opt-out systems when it comes to organ donation rates. First and foremost, opt-out systems can help ensure that organs are donated to people who need them most (Steffel et al., 2019). This is because there are many donations making it easier for the sick to easily get the required body organs. In the case of opt-in systems, there are few donors meaning that the organs are similarly few. This small number of donors leads to organ shortage which can result in inappropriate or completely no organs for transplantation (Ahmad et al., 2019). When there is organ scarcity, then the patients cannot get the organs they need the most for their body functionality.
Finally, opt-out systems can aid reduce the stigmatization associated with organ donation. Examples of stigmatization in organ donation in opt-in countries include people with mental illness, intravenous drug users, and sex workers being excluded from the donor pool (Hong et al., 2022). Opt-out takes away the need for people to “opt-in” and makes it so that people do not have to feel themselves different for choosing to donate their organs. Then it will be upon the doctors to pick the best organs to be used among the sick.
Furthermore, the opt-out system reduces the number of patients waiting for transplants. An opt-out system minimizes the number of people in need of transplants because it will make the needed organs readily available due to many donors. According to studies, opt-out systems have increased the number of donors in nations that have implemented them (Ahmad et al., 2019). There have been instances where the rise has reached twenty percent (Ahmad et al., 2019). This is due to the fact that when people have registered automatically as organ donors, they do not have to take any extra steps in order to donate their organs after death. The result is more lives saved and fewer people waiting for transplants.
Additionally, an opt-out system could assist in combating the black market for organs, as people would no longer need to resort to illegal means to obtain transplantable organs. The black market for organs is a significant problem in the transplant community. Many people die each year because they cannot get the organ they need (Wilkens, 2018). An opt-out system, which would make it illegal to buy or sell organs, would help to combat this problem by making it more difficult for people to enter the black market. This is because organ donations will be more and more freely available, and selling these organs expensively on the black market will come to an end. In addition, different governments, through opt-out systems, would encourage more people to donate their organs through legal channels, which would ultimately save lives.
Opt-out systems are simpler and more efficient than opt-in systems. Opt-out systems assume that people would prefer to be automatically registered for donation than to be forced to make a choice. The opt-in system requires that people actively choose to be registered for something, which can be more difficult and time-consuming. Similarly, the opt-out system eliminates the need for people to remember to uncheck a box or unsubscribe from a mailing list, which can be easy to forget (Steffel et al., 2019). This can save both the donor and the user (patient) time and energy. This is because there is no essence to tracking down individuals and trying to get them to sign up; they are already in (Steffel et al., 2019). In contrast, with an opt-in system, one has to actively seek out individuals and convince them to participate, which can be time-consuming and difficult.
An opt-out system is more efficient and simpler because many lives are saved in time without delay. Opt-out system registration means that family members do not have to make the decision on behalf of the deceased, which can often be a difficult and emotionally charged task. Additionally, it eliminates the possibility of organs being wasted due to last-minute decisions or logistical difficulties (Steffel et al., 2019). Ultimately, an opt-out system helps to save lives by making it easier for organs to be donated and ensuring that they are used in a timely manner.
Similarly, there are many advantages to increasing public trust in the organ donation system. The most obvious is that it would result in lower rates of resistance from the citizens, thus availing more organs from donations. This will save lives and improve the quality of life for many people. Another advantage is that it would reduce the cost of transplants (Steffel et al., 2019). This is because donors and their families would no longer have to bear the costs associated with obtaining organs. The costs associated with organ donation include the financial cost of the procedure as well as the potential health risks for the donor.
There are a few disadvantages to opt-out organ donation systems. One is that it can lead to a feeling of coercion among potential donors. They may feel that they have no choice in the matter and that their organs will be taken regardless of their wishes. This could lead to resentment or even resistance to organ donation, which would ultimately undermine the system and cause the death of patients needing these organs (Miller et al., 2020). Another drawback is that it can be difficult to determine a person’s exact wishes when it comes to organ donation.
Furthermore, if someone does not prefer donating their organs, even if their loved ones may want to donate them, it will be impossible if the person does not express this wish clearly before they die. Some people argue that an opt-out system creates a presumption of consent, meaning that individuals are assumed to want to donate their organs unless they take explicit steps to opt-out (Miller et al., 2020). This could create a situation in which some people do not have a chance to make their wishes known because they never had the opportunity to opt-in. Opt-out systems can help patients in different ways, except that some people may be against donating their organs.
In conclusion, an opt-out system is better because it takes less time for people to become registered donors, but it makes people feel disrespected. In an opt-in system, people have to take the time to sign up as donors. This can be an aggravation, and many people may not do it. An opt-out system assumes that everyone is a donor until they say otherwise. This makes it easier for people to become donors, and more people will likely donate organs this way. Opt-out systems increase the rates of organ donation and similarly minimize the number of people waiting for organ transplantation. In addition, it does not need consent from people, thus making the organ transplantation process easier, and there the change should be made from an opt-in to opt-out organ donation system. On the other hand, people normally feel coerced into organ donation because others may not be willing to donate their organs, making them feel that their choices are not valued.
References
Ahmad, M. U., Hanna, A., Mohamed, A. Z., Schlindwein, A., Pley, C., Bahner, I., Mhaskar R., Pettigrew, G.J., & Jarmi, T. (2019). A systematic review of opt-out versus opt-in consent on deceased organ donation and transplantation (2006–2016). World Journal of Surgery, 43(12), 3161-3171. Web.
Hong, B. A., Schuller, D., Yusen, R. D., & Barr, M. L. (2022). Pediatric living lung donor transplant candidates: Psychiatric status of utilized and non-utilized donors. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 29(1), 62-70. Web.
Miller, J., Currie, S., McGregor, L. M., & O’Carroll, R. E. (2020). ‘It’s like being conscripted; one volunteer is better than 10 pressed men’: A qualitative study into the views of people who plan to opt‐out of organ donation. British Journal of Health Psychology, 25(2), 257-274. Web.
Steffel, M., Williams, E. F., & Tannenbaum, D. (2019). Does changing defaults save lives? Effects of presumed consent organ donation policies. Behavioral Science & Policy, 5(1), 68-88. Web.
Wilkens, K. (2018). The true cost of selling your organs on Egypt’s illegal black market. Journal of International Business and Law, 17(2), 6. Web.
