Concern over organ plan to re-start hearts of the dead
New campaign aims to shame Scots into registering as organ donors. Picture: Getty
CHURCH groups in Scotland have reacted with concern to proposals by the British Medical Association to boost numbers of donated organs by restarting the hearts of people who have recently died.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said more needed to be done to increase the number of organs, including considering “difficult concepts” such as restarting hearts so they can be used in transplants.
Other options include using organs from higher-risk patients such as the elderly, and developing guidelines for using the hearts of babies aged under three months who have no chance of surviving.
Dr Sue Robertson, a renal physician and member of the BMA’s Scottish Council, said: “As doctors it is difficult to see our patients dying and suffering when their lives could be saved or dramatically improved by a transplant.”
However, the authors of the report Building on Progress: Where next for organ donation policy in the UK? acknowledged that “the fact that an individual is declared dead following cessation of cardio-respiratory function but the heart is subsequently restarted and transplanted into another person is a difficult concept.”
Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the BMA’s Medical Ethics Committee, added: “These are complex issues that throw up many ethical challenges.
“It is important that society discusses them openly in a reassuring way. The aim here is to save lives while at the same time protecting individual rights and autonomy.”
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland said one area of concern would be the “definition of death”.
“If you have someone whose heart has stopped and the heart is then restarted technically the person is still alive.”
He added: “What would be a huge danger would be if a doctor in an emergency situation was looking at someone who in theory could be resuscitated but could be a source of organs. We don’t want that situation.”
A spokesman for the Church of Scotland said they supported an increase in the number of organs available for donation.
“However, it is of paramount importance that any measures should have a central focus on the dignity of the deceased person and the deceased person’s family,” he added.
The report repeated the BMA’s long-standing support of a “soft opt-out” system, where there is presumed consent but the views of a dead person’s relatives would be taken into consideration.
This is being considered in Wales but Scotland and England have no plans to change the existing opt in system.
In Scotland, 778 people are on the transplant waiting list. The BMA said studies show that up to 90 per cent of the population supports organ donation, yet only about a third have signed up to the organ donor register.
“A ‘soft’ opt-out system would better reflect the views of the Scottish people,” said Dr Robertson.
The Scottish Catholic Church spokesman believes presumed consent is “fundamentally flawed”.
“Morally and ethically it’s wrong. No-one should have an organ removed without their explicit consent,” he said.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We will be asking the Scottish Transplant Group, which advises the Government in this area, for a view on the various proposals.”
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Comments
There are 14 comments to this article
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Digory
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 07:26 PMWe have regularly been hearing - Nationally - of the difficulties faced by patients in hospitals let alone those who are simply removed from lists by Administrators - both in hospitals and in the Community. The expression Family Doctor can also be a misnomer in the world of Health Boards, Health Centres - regarded as a separate concerns by the General Medical Council although patients in real terms deal with Institutions. Doctors are not accountable for explanations at Area Practitioner Service Level even when sanctions have been applied when someone has almost died. People - including children can be left without a Doctor. The Medical System is not so good at permitting people information to sort matters out and ascertain information and as can be seen from the article one patient's demise may be seen as a potential success in other quarters. In this Region there have been reports of people being removed from lists after living in an area for their whole life simply because there have been new Housing Developments. If patients ask questions about their treatment or ask to see Records this can precipitate removal. There have also been reports (generally) of Health Centres and Doctors preferring to take certain types of Patients as these attract more funding. This is apart from other issues such as the standard of reports, record keeping, communication and general levels of competence etc. We have a very convincing account of a visit a member of our family made to an oncologist - a visit which never took place - presumably this was missing from some other person's Records - just one example. Delays can also happen with cardiac and other sorts of treatment which must reach the critical stage. This is before getting into issues around particular treatments in Hospitals, Resuscitation or Double Effect.
Digory
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 06:11 PM12. Have you seen what happens when life support systems and all tubes etc. are suddenly and abruptly removed from someone?
Peripatetic Pensioner
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:27 AMI have been a registered organ donor since the system came into being but sometimes I feel like trying to get a proviso bolted on to my registration saying no religious nutters need apply for my bits.
Digory
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:09 PMI would be interested to know who it is that is so concerned that I should become a Donor.
Digory
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:07 PMI have recently received two communications suggesting that I become an Organ Donor.
Scorpion54
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:37 AMIf the heart has to be restarted for a transplant, surely the patient must be brain dead at this point and therefore how can they be considered to be alive, even technically?
Skatedad
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:43 AMThe 'god squad' should keep their noses out of these matters!! They should concentrate on saving the imaginary soul??
Alicia Murray
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:17 AMDoes any body believe the BMA is a compassionate organisation? It is okay to keep the dying living for their organs and not okay to help dying people have a good death says it all really.
Hector the Lessor
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 07:29 AMI would think that it would not be essential to start the heart, but rather ensure a flow of blood or other similar compound through the veins. They use a similar technique to grow stem cells. What you are up against is lazy doctors. The guys who will not make the effort to carry out research to it's ultimate end, Obviously you do not believe me, but unfortunately operations today are carried out by doctors who do not have the necessary skills and are looking for folk to practice on. Well it is the way the medical profession achieved the position they are today. So there you have it, if you have a serious problem go private, if you want to train the next generation, dont.
The Genuine Mario Antionette
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 03:25 AM“If you have someone whose heart has stopped and the heart is then restarted technically the person is still alive.” - when will people realise that the donor is alive when the organs are removed ?. Even under heavy sedation, donors have been known to move as they feel the pain of the organs being removed. The pro donor brigade don't publicise this fact though.
Charles Linskaill
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 02:05 AMStealing the Hearts of our Dying, When more can be done, Puts in in an nutshell, Peoples lives will be treated as machines, Scrapping the life off those who appear terminally sick is better than saving them, even if they have a chance to live, CHURCH groups in Scotland are quite right to have their concerns
flyinngscott
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:34 AMScottish labour were beyond resusitation.
flyinngscott
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:34 AMScottish labour were beyond resusitation.
antiparasite
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:34 AMAny group from the big 3 man made religions are of no fit mind to be making comments on anything in the real world........
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