Persuasive Speech On Organ Donation

1. 18444 Malaysians are waiting in the organ waiting list as for September 2014 census by Ministry of Health Malaysia while for actual organ donor only 446 people since 1976. Need I go further? 2. The numbers may mean nothing to you but the numbers showing that only 0.57% or 267328 of the total Malaysian populations are organ pledger like me. 3. Malaysia having an opt-in organ donation system is among the lowest rate of organ donation in the world based on 2010 World Health Organisation (WHO) report which is far cry in comparison from other Opt-out organ donation system countries. (Transition: Therefore, I am here today to bring all of you here to support Opt-out system for organ donation rather than Opt-in organ donation system that we are currently using as opt out donation system saves time, increase life expectancy of organ recipients and it does not remove your right over your own body.) BODY

1. The system that our country practices is Opt-in system which requires one to explicitly pledge as an organ donor or with consent from the family member when one dies. Opt-out organ donation system is a system whereby presumes one has already given his consent to be an organ donor upon his death, unless there is expressed objection. I. By opt-out system, people who wanted to be a donor does not have to sign up which normally, the majority of the population whereby people who opting out of the system, the minority will have to register as a non-donor. II. In Austria where organ donation is the highest in the world with 99% of the population are donor, shows that people wanted to donate but does not have the time or just does not want to fill the forms. This system ease the people need to fill forms online or through mail which tax their time. I remember the time when I pledge as an organ donor, it takes 3 weeks for they to process my pledge through online. So, imagine what if it is done through mail? (Transition:Unconvincing? The numbers will persuade you.)

2. Opt-out organ donation system will increase organ donor up to 97% of the population which will increase life expectancy of organ donation patients. I. How long does one wait for a new kidney in Malaysia? 2 years? 5 years? Nope. It is 10 years as only 44 cadaveric donor per year which gives 88 kidneys but over 18000 people in the waiting list. Therefore, by opt-out donation system within just a year the number can be cut by a quarter and just mere 4 years we will not be having any waiting list. II. By having new kidney or organ as soon as possible, the patients will increase their life expectancy up to 48% for the first 18 years rather than machine dependency patients. Therefore, there would be lesser people would die every day just because not having enough organ to be transplanted where as healthy normal people dies off bringing their life saving organs together to the afterlife. (Transition:Besides increase life expectancy of organ donation patients, the system does not remove your universal right)

3. Opt-out organ donation system does not remove your own ‘right’ over your own body. I. The State does not own your body when the opt-out policy is enforced as you can exercise your own right to make the option not to become an organ donor. If you did not explicitly express your own objection oral or written before your death, the State presume that you have consented over donating your organ. II. The system enforced over countries in Europe and Australia even our neighbouring country, Singapore have a soft opt-out organ donation which although it is an opt-out system, family members are still consulted. Although there are some country employ hard opt-out organ donation like Austria where they will not consult the family members, the system still prevail as long as law makers draft an organ donation policy which protect the donor, doctors and family members from exploitation. CONCLUSION

(Transition:The gift of life is the most amazing gift anybody can give.) 1. Opt-out or Opt-in organ donation implementation, both require the people’s support. Yeah, that is you, you there and you, everyone should give their support whatever system is being implemented. I hope that you will consider organ donation as an option.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Johnson, Eric J.; and Goldstein, Daniel G. “Do defaults save lives?” (PDF). Science 302 (5649): 1338–1339. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/302/5649/1338 2. Thaler, Richard H. (September 26, 2009). “Opting in vs. Opting Out”. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/business/economy/27view.html?_r=0 3. Jain A, Reyes J, Kashyap R, Dodson SF, Demetris AJ, Ruppert K, Abu-Elmagd K,
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