Should brain dead patients be kept alive for organ donation?

I`ve carried a donor card for many years, and am also on the donor register, but I think there`s something very cold and calculating about the idea of keeping people alive specifically for organs.

Good point, HP. Is there mention of a time limit, does anyone know?

Yes to organ donation.

Yes to an opt out system.

Not sure about ventilating corpses to harvest organs. (In this suspended state is the body a corpse?) I think it would need to be time specific, for example 24 or 48 hours, before I could contemplate it. Don't think I could cope emotionally with Mr hp being ventilated for longer.

Oh bags don't care much about me, but I worry about those close to me. How can I guarantee that they don't get it wrong with any of mines? I know, it's all thriller and movie territory but, of course, we are informed by popular culture.

I know someone who studies 'consciousness' and have always been afeared of asking them any questions.

Many years ago that worried me too, but I think ways of determining brain deadness have become much more sophisticated so I'm much less worried about that aspect now.

crimson If truly "brain dead" – yes. But there have been mistaken diagnoses. Bit worrying.

Sorry if this is a stupid or insensitive question, but is a 'brain dead' person definately devoid of any consciousness?

There is a desperate need for more organs to help people whose lives would benefit, and the organs of brain dead people are no use to them (I presume). In theory, therefore, I don't have a problem with the idea of keeping the organs healthy until they are required. Tricky emotionally for relatives of the dead person though. I guess it's important to let your relatives know beforehand how you feel about your own organs being used in such a way. I've told my DH and my grown up daughters that any part of me that would be of use to anyone else can be used. In short, my consent is already given to such a process.

I think the 'opt out' idea is fine too.

'Harvest' is such an emotional term. I would be very happy for my brain- dead body to be kept ticking over until anything usable could be taken. If you had a child or partner that was dying for lack of a heart or liver, I am sure you would welcome this initiative.
If one of my family died, I think I would find it a comfort if part(s) of them could be used to help others.
I am sure the tabloids will whip up some hysteria by talking about bodies being kept in warehouses, like that horror film.
And perhaps people who refuse to be donors should not be willing to accept donations.

Yes, I carry a card too, and would go with this suggestion if it is done sensitively, and there is a time limit for harvesting body parts, so the family of the deceased aren't left in limbo and are able to grieve without undue distress.

I carry a card and I'm on the organ donation register. I don't feel it would be ethical to keep a body going in order to harvest its organs. As you say getmehrt tremendous sensitivity would need to be shown to relatives. However, if one of my own family were in desperate need of an organ from such a donor, then maybe I would feel very different.

It seems a logical thing to do, but, of course, emotions are not logical. Both Mr absent an I are quite happy for any bits of our bodies that might possibly be useful to someone else to be used for their benefit. However, I'm not sure that I would feel comfortable with Mr absent put, not so much on the back burner as in the freezer, until required. I'm pretty sure Mr absent wouldn't feel all that comfortable about me in the same situation. When someone you love dies, it's quite hard to get to grips with your own feelings which race away in all sorts of uncontrollable and often unexpected directions, from devastating grief to furious anger at the person who has died. The rituals of death, such as a funeral, help us through this hugely painful time. I'm not sure how good I would be if it were all put on hold. A day or two, perhaps – longer and I think I would fall apart.