Suicide and Organ Donation: Some Practical and Moral Considerations
Filed Under (Issues) by admin on 19-01-2009
Tagged Under : Organ Donation, Suicide
And so the discussion continues on my proposed system where people who choose to commit suicide could do so in a location and manner that would permit their organs to be immediately harvested by surgeons and transplanted to those currently on organ waiting lists. For those unfamiliar with the previous discussions on the topic, you may ask why such a consideration would even arise?
BECAUSE…
1. There is a catastrophic shortage of organs, with many people dying from organ failure while on waiting lists. Potentially preventable deaths are occurring every day;
2. Those on organ waiting lists are dependent on accidental deaths to occur in such unlikely circumstances as to result in brain death (but physical life), a result that arises in only a miniscule portion of deaths because they are almost always unpredictable;
3. Suicide is a reality in society that cannot be ignored or completely prevented. Thousands and thousands commit suicide every year, often in carefully planned and deliberate acts. In virtually all cases, the bodies are discovered far too late for any lifesaving organs to be of use;
4. Pretending that suicides do not occur, or that all suicides are preventable, is a failure to acknowledge reality and work with this reality to make the world the best place possible;
5. Such a system could give those who have decided irrevocably to take their own lives the opportunity to help others – to save lives – and possibly help those they leave behind through their grief with the knowledge that the person they have lost has saved human lives;
6. The assumption by many that people who commit suicide are selfish to the exclusion of considering others is a falsehood that would be quickly proven wrong given the opportunity;
7. Provided that suicides do not increase as a result of implementing such a system, then the world enjoys an enormous net benefit with the additional lives saved at no human cost;
8. With the number of life-saving organs each person possesses (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas), one suicide who donates his or her organs could save six or more lives.
It sounds like a great idea when you look at it that way, right? Still, there are some moral traps and pitfalls that have to be considered before rushing blindly into any course of action, particularly one so radical. Here, we will not do an exhaustive survey, but we will look at a couple.
NOT ENCOURAGING SUICIDE
It would be essential, if considering such a system, to be sure that it was not set up in a way to encourage people to commit suicide. Acknowledging that suicide is a reality in society and approving of or encouraging it are two distinct and separate points of view.
If properly implemented, I believe such a system could actually serve to reduce suicides, for a couple reasons. First of all, in order for anyone to be eligible for a system where they could take their own life in the vicinity of surgeons who would then collect organs, they could be required to undergo therapy for a minimum period of time, during which they may change their mind or benefit from a “cooling off.” Having such a requirement could lead many people, who would otherwise have simply committed suicide without talking to a professional, to at least attempt to benefit from therapy.
Secondarily, if such a system were to arise, it could actually result in a category of suicides that are publicly perceived as “unselfish.” If this were to happen, anybody contemplating taking their own lives might be drawn to this route (rather than an impulsive act), which would then result in their having to take the time to plan and contemplate the issue, and also to go through the required therapy. Ultimately, if they opt for the route of taking their own lives even after the forced “cooling off” period and therapeutic intervention, then it might be a pretty safe assumption that they would have gone that route on their own without any therapy in the first place.
As well, with the remote possibility that a small number of suicides may in some way be encouraged by such a system, they could be more than offset by the number that would be prevented by the requirement of time and therapy. Ultimately, it seems quite counterintuitive that the wish to donate one’s organs would be the factor that pushes anyone over the line to commit suicide. Such a decision would be based on far more personal factorrs, with the opportunity to donate organs being essentially a beneficial side effect of such a tragic personal choice.
PARTICIPATION OF SURGEONS
A suicide organ donation system would not be related in any meaningful way to the hotly debated subject of assisted suicide. Surgeons would essentially be arriving and involved “after the fact” when a person had already made and effected their choice to take their own life. Rather than inducing death, surgeons would then be simply doing their best to retain life-saving materials from a body that was no longer viable.
That said, this system would undoubtedly pose moral questions for many surgeons, and it could hardly be expected of them to incorporate these operations as part of their regular practice if they did not agree with its principles. Much as not all obstetricians are expected to provide abortions if they find the operation morally objectionable, the same freedoms would exist for surgeons in this regard.
To be continued…
PREVIOUS SECTION: Part 1: A System to Save Lives?
PREVIOUS SECTION: Part 2: Give These People Some Credit
I support organ donation for, not just suicide victims, but for all people who consent to this as per their state ID or license (which many states have).
Harm reduction gets a bad rep even though it is one of the best methods of dealing with generally undesirable activities.
I like your idea of a period of mandatory therapy; that should quiet some opponents. Sadly, though, I don’t think people of any country are ready to accept suicide in this way. After all, if it’s legal, it’s “government supported”.
It’s frusturating being a libertarian.
I think that it is possible that someone hurts so much that they want to die. I think that same someone can have love and compassion for others and want them to benefit from their death.
While there are people who are very selfish in this world – there are others who are very compassionate who don’t understand the world or its ways. People can be very cruel. Life can be very unfair.
I think that those that have responded to this post have shared more of themselves than the workings of the mind of another. There are many perspectives.
I’m curious to know how you perceive the actual death process to occur.
If one was to do this at home, would it make sense to leave a note if one’s wishes, then call 911 and the proceed with brain death?
How long would organs be viable for?
Dear Shell,
Thanks for stopping by. Are you asking my personal beliefs or ideas of the death process? In the absence of clarification, I guess I would go with the generally used medical / legal definition and use brain death.
I hope you aren’t seriously considering doing this at home and I definitely don’t want to be counseling any individual to take his or her own life.
So, with respect to your next question about whether it would make sense to do this at home, I would generally advise against suicide.
If one was committing suicide, would it make sense to leave a note and call 911? Well, if one wanted to donate his or her organs, it certainly increases the odds of their being used over not doing either of those things. But it far from guarantees it.
The length of time any organ is viable after death depends on the organ. In the case of heart and lungs, if removed from a brain dead donor in a controlled hospital setting with proper preservation apparatus immediately available, they may last as little as four hours – and that is under perfect circumstances.
The decay process could be much more rapid immediately following death in any other environment.
But again, I am not a source of medical expertise and I am most certainly hopeful that you aren’t contemplating suicide and – if so – that you decide against it.
I’m 38 and tired of living having wasted my entire life doing nothing at all. I don’t drink, smoke or take drugs and I’m in excellent physical shape. I’m sure my organs could save 2 or maybe 3 people so I’ve made the decision to end my life by hanging. I will call the emergency services prior to the act to make certain my body is discovered only a few minutes after my death (and to avoid my mother finding me). I’ve had therapy and been on medication but when you have nothing to live for it’s hard to stay alive. Suicide isn’t an easy decision to make but I have no love for life and when I see other people suffer and die, people with everything to live for it makes me sad. This is the ultimate gift anyone can give.
im looking for a good way to induce brain death in a hospital waiting room
Well, you are more than welcome to brainstorm on the idea… I can’t say that I can think of any offhand that wouldn’t traumatize the whole waiting room… But smarter people than I may have ideas.
I believe the vast majority of suicides are because someone can’t take the mental pain anymore. While the pain may register somewhat differently than physical pain, it is a lot to handle nonetheless. So there is a weighing of release from that pain vs. who might be hurt emotionally by the act. Depending on the amt of pains, the decision to kill oneself may or may not be selfish.
Depression may make someone self-focussed due to the pain or mental agony but its my experience that most depressed people in reality are not selfish overall. I think many would welcome the oppty’ to turn a bad situation into something better. If that means someone who was going to commit suicide anyway, gets to donate, great. If it makes suicide more “ok”, then in some cases at least, we must take pause about that.
Then again, it’s altruistic for a fireman to lose his life to try to save a victim, why would it be wrong for someone not very satisfied with life, or even someone just altruistic to do the same??
should point out that depression makes us believe that the future won’t be better, the pain won’t stop, etc. Often that is an assumption that may or may not be true.
PS#2 – wonder if someone who was depressed because they felt like a failure (me, perhaps Russell above) would be allowed to be a living donor (eg part of a liver, one kidney). Or would the psychological screening that I imagine occurs, rule us out?
PS3 should one be allowed to sell an organ, as a living donor? maybe accomplish 2 things – save someone’s life and rescue/advance your own situation w/ money. When you really think about it, why should this be actually illegal? Allowing money for organs might also increase rate of donation after (unintentional) death – people might be more apt to sign up, if it would help their survivors financially.
I would like to die and would like to donate all viable organs but do not know how to do this so i don’t waste the chance to save people who want to live
According to Wikipedia organ donation consent is higher amongst those who take their own lives than average and their families are less likely to prevent the transfer of organs.
All this talk of those who commit suicide being too selfish to want to help others is wrong and probably comes from experiences which have left their survivors jaded.
y am i the only one so far to request someone to care,I have kids ,i have a husband , havemsister and aunts and uncles and they all care only problem is i don’t . I just want every part of me used to make someone elses life better. God bless those who recieve and god forgive us who give…………………………..
Dear Jenjen,
I hope things improve for you and appreciate how you must be struggling.
For what it’s worth, the fact that you have sought out information combining the two topics addressed above suggests that you are by nature a giving person and one who tries to help others.
I hope you’ll stay in good health and continue providing such qualities to your family.
All the best