Making an Impact: Organ and Blood Donation & Human Genome Research

[Therian]

K I was thinking that I wanted to have a positive impact on the world and I know there's lots of ways to do that. I was wondering about kidney, blood, bone marrow, etc donation. Could somebody get paid (By an individual or whatever) for donating any of those things? More importantly, what sort of effects would doing any of those things have on my body? (I suppose bloods fairly safe to donate if done in the right amount, etc) I think kidney donation would have a positive impact on the world because it would allow somebody to wait less time than they would ordinarily have to (For a kidney) (Maybe). I've also read that somebody can be fine with just one kidney and that that one kidney that they have will enlarge, etc to make up for the other missing kidney.

I was also wondering, if somebody wanted to help speed up the search in identifying all the genes in the human genome and stuff like that, what could they do to achieve that, as individuals or groups?

 

[brewnog]

Firstly, I'd say to go down to the blood bank! Donate blood! It's a very safe thing to do, and it can be argued that it's good for you. It's definitely good for the guy in the hospital who needs a transfusion! As long as you fulfil a few basic criteria (various health and lifestyle issues) you should be fine to give blood. I don't know where you are, but the http://www.bloodnet.nbs.nhs.uk has some fairly good information.

Secondly, you should also strongly consider carrying a donor card. This way, in the event of your death, the hospital will know that you have given your consent to donate whichever organs and tissues you have agreed.

Bone marrow and platelet donation are also ones to consider. You can even donate bone (and amniotic membranes!) during life under some special circumstances.

Alongside all the usual organs, there are many tissues which you can donate after death, including skin, heart valves, corneas, and tendons. Live organ donation is usually only done when a close relative is in need of an organ, and you show to be a match.

Donating for medical research is also something to consider. At uni, I considered applying to a medical evaluation scheme (http://www.biotechmanchester.com/pages/page_01.asp?PageID=334 ), they often need healthy adults in order to run clinical trials of drugs prior to them being licensed.

You can also agree to donate your body to the medical department of a university, so that med students can dissect you! If this interests you, I suggest you give your local med-school a bell.

In the UK, being paid to donate blood, tissues, or organs is illegal, although you can receive expenses for your time and travel. With the exception of the medical evaluation scheme, don't do it for money. Do it because you want to save some poor chap's life!

 

[hypatia]

You can't be paid here{USA} for donations of organs,marrow, or other tissues. But they can cover expenses. You can get paid for giving blood plasma, contact the Red Cross for more info.

 

[Therian]

Well I'm in Canada; could I be paid for it in Canada? Not that that's why Id be doing it, but it would be nice to have a little money to sort out some personal stuff. I want to be frozen after I die, or preserved in some other way; as a result I wouldn't want to sign myself up for donating parts of my body after my death, or for med student dissection or whatever after my death

(I was referring to being paid for donating things like a kidney, blood, bone marrow, and/or other stuff. Not just blood)

And I wouldn't be doing it just for the money anyway that would just be like, a nice bonus, if I got it

I have British Canadian and American citizenship so I guess I could always donate blood,etc wherever

But they don't always need blood do they? I mean is there like, a constant need for blood? Or is there an un-constant, occaisional need for blood? Like, do they have a supply of blood that's larger than the supply they need ever? I mean, I don't want to donate blood unless they need it lol. But if they do need it I could probably donate it on a regular/semi-regular basis. (Need info about that to consider donating)

What "special circumstances" would people donate bone and amniotic membranes during life? (Need info about that to consider donating)

You mentioned something about bone marrow and platelet donation? (Need info about that to consider donating)

Isn't it possible that I could be a match with more than close relatives in need of organs? (In regards to Live organ donation) I mean wouldn't I maybe match people other than close relatives? (In regards to Live organ donation)

I probably wouldn't mind donating for medical research. I'd need more info on that. I especially wouldn't mind donating for medical research if I would get paid for it. (Need info about that to consider donating)

I just edited this post instead of making more posts; I can make more posts/edit this one

 

[brewnog]

Well I'm in Canada; could I be paid for it in Canada? Not that that's why Id be doing it, but it would be nice to have a little money to sort out some personal stuff (as a result of that or something else)

How about getting a job?!

You're not going to get rich off donating blood.

 

[Therian]

Um I thought nobody would realize I edited my post unless I made another post and the thread showed up as updated

 

[brewnog]

If you've got more questions, it's best to make a separate post so that people can keep track of what's going on.

Anyway, blood banks are always in need of blood. I've never known them in such great supply that they turn people away, but occasionally they run very low and put a special call out.

Special circumstances for donating bone? If you're having an operation where bone is being removed!

Special circumstances for donating amniotic membrane? If you're giving birth by Caesarean.

Once you've been donating blood for a while, they'll give you all the info you need about platelet and bone marrow donation.

As for more information on everything else, I suggest you get in touch with the relevant organisations.

To be honest, I'm very surprised that someone so keen to donate is not keen to carry a donor card. Pledging the use of your organs after your death is a wonderful thing to do, and has saved many thousands of lives in the past, and many more people do this than donate blood. I have a personal (draconian) view that in order to receive transplant organs in an emergency, you have to be prepared to donate yours in the event of your death. That would encourage far many more people to be less selfish with their corpse.

 

[Therian]

The reason I'm not willing to carry a donor card is that I want to be frozen or preserved in some other way after I die (Since I believe that a little bit of hope for resuscitation in that case is better than none) If it weren't for that I would be willing to carry a donor card

Besides, what I really wanted to do was find out information about donating things so that I could make informed decisions about donating things. I wasnt sure what i would be willing to donate and what I wouldn't be willing to donate

 

[Pengwuino]

Donating blood is a relatively safe thing to do. Theres always the remote possibility that you catch a disease from previous procedures if the clinic doesn't steralize the equipment properly. The others always carry the risks that are inherent with surgical proceeders (you always have the possibility of death involved).

You also will not get paid for donating. Thats why its called donating... If you need money, this is pretty much hte last thing you should be thinking about.

 

[Therian]

I was thinking that I might be able to get paid for donating a kidney, bone marrow, etc...I wasnt really thinking that I would get paid for donating blood

 

[Pengwuino]

Yha... like we said, its called donating, not selling :) And isn't the best payment of all seeing someone else live where they may have died without u? :)

 

[Therian]

I think I said that I wouldn't be doing it for the money although that would be a nice bonus

 

[Pengwuino]

ironically... you might even lose money! I mean you can't just get back up after the operation and head back to work! So you might lose some money there...

Your just out of comission for a day or so with a blood donation because your tired as heck from what i hear afterwards.