Should we have to opt out of organ donation?

DESPITE the fact my wife and I have carried donor cards for years, if the Government’s plan goes ahead to change to an opt-out system we will withdraw our consent. I expect a lot of people would do the same. The Government does not own our bodies.

E. D. WILLIAMS, Sandbach, Cheshire. HOW disappointing of Tom Utley to write so cynically about the organ donor register (Mail). He calls the Prime Minister’s proposals a gimmick. Tell that to the thousands waiting for transplants.

TIM BONALLACK, Salisbury, Wilts.

TOM UTLEY was right. I have carried a donor card for years, but if this idea becomes law, I shall opt out as I think it is immoral.

PETER MURCH, Tiverton, Devon. TO ASSUME your organs can be harvested unless you opt out is little better than body-snatching. Mrs G. WARRINGTON, Hyde, Cheshire.

INSTEAD of changing to opt-out organ donation, it would make greater sense to create a database of everyone’s blood group, DNA and fingerprints. This would save time in catching criminals and help match up organs for donation. To donate organs is a personal issue that should not be state controlled.

Mrs L. EAGLES, Torquay, Devon. THE assumption that the next of kin have the final say on organ donation, even if their relative had a donor card, was created by Tony Blair’s government. It was a muddled response to the scandal of tissue and organ samples being retained by hospitals without the knowledge of relatives. We should follow the example of Wales and Spain, where there is presumed consent for organ donation.

JOHN HARFIELD, Harlington, Beds.