Persuasive Essay On Organ Donation

697 Words3 Pages

Around 115,000 Americans need an organ donation. Unfortunately, many on waiting lists will have to keep waiting. The number of organ donors increase every year, but not fast enough to save everyone. Only 54% of Americans are registered organ donors, yet an astounding 95% show an interest or approve of being an organ donor. An obvious discrepancy exists here that needs to be addressed. This dangerous disconnect between people supporting organ donations and actually registering to donate puts the lives of many on the line. States need to increase the number of registered organ donors to meet the demands of those who need these life-saving transplants through changes in policy, compensation of donors, and education regarding organ donations.
One way that states can easily increase the number of registered donors is to adopt the opt-out policy rather than the current opt-in policy. With the …show more content…

Many believe that their organs are unfit for donation due to age or the lifestyle they lived. This cannot be determined until donation professionals review your medical and social history. In addition, any individual can donate regardless of age as with progressing technology, more people than ever can donate. Others refuse to donate as they believe that doctors will not work as hard to keep them alive if they are an organ donor. This claim has no merit as doctors are not the same people as those who harvest organs and tissues. Common misconceptions such as these prevent eligible citizens from donating life-saving organs that are desperately needed. European countries saw organ donations increase by an astounding 53% after years of educating the public about the issue. States need to emulate this tactic here in the United States in order to achieve similar (or better) results. Clearing up simple misconceptions such as these could mean the difference between life and death for