
All French citizens are now organ donors unless they opt out - mgdo
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/french-citizens-organ-donors-france-opt-out-donation-hospital-healthcare-doctors-a7508576.html
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Inconel
I've been a registered organ donor since my early twenties, and this was
during a time when I was poor enough that I had to resort to living on the
streets, but the lack of monetary compensation for organ donors is something
that kind of bothers me. I understand the reasoning behind such a rule, namely
as I understand it, the big one being that compensating people for organs
would essentially lead to poor/desperate people being taken advantage of by
the wealthy and coerced into donation.

Again, I understand the reasoning behind this but something still doesn't feel
right about the whole thing to me. Organ transplant is this incredibly complex
process with many steps and participants. At each step every one of those
participants is compensated with the exception of the donor. The recipient
obviously receives a big benefit, the transplant surgeons are well
compensated, and I'm sure the anesthesiologists and nurses are as well. I'm
sure the hospital and hospital administrators are well compensated as are the
medical device manufacturers. If everyone working on the transplant team was
there as a volunteer and the surgical room and supplies were donations I
wouldn't have a problem but it seems like everyone involved in the process
gets their cut except for the donor.

I'm very fortunate to have a healthy body and I'm sure my organs could be put
to good use for many people if/when I die, and while that is enough reward for
me personally, there was a point in my life were a few thousand dollars in
compensation for my organs could have done a lot of good if distributed to
some of my friends.

