Report to the People
5th December 2005
Talk
Saves Lives
With the exception of
the morbid few, none of us likes talking about death.
Although it comes to us
all, it’s one of these taboo subjects we don’t like to face head-on.
Even the language we use to describe it - “passing away”,
“departing”, “checking out” - is euphemistic.
It is, though, an issue
which my colleagues and I on the Parliament’s Health Committee have been
obliged to confront during our scrutiny of the new Human Tissue Bill.
The Bill, the general
principles of which were approved by MSPs last Wednesday, will modernise the law
on organ donation and transplantation. The
“opt in” system for organ donation (carrying a donor card or putting your
name on the Organ Donor Register) will be strengthened and insensitive or
irresponsible doctors will face jail if they remove and retain body parts
without consent.
You
may want to donate your organs after your death in the hope that you could save
another’s life. Or you may have
strong objections to any part of your body being removed when you die.
Either
way, if you want to make sure your wishes are respected, you’ll need,
at the very least, to talk to your nearest and dearest about it.
If, God forbid, the worst happens, you wouldn’t want to make it an even
more distressing time for your family by forcing them to make the decision.
You
can join the Organ Donation Register by calling 0845 60 60 400
or logging on to www.uktransplant.org.uk
Back to Current Reports to the People
[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Report to the People ] [ Interact ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]
[ Copyright ] [ Directgov ] [ Scottish Parliament ]