Is the opt in system better than the opt out system?

Answer 1

It entirely depends upon your point of view, it's not possible to say that one system is better than another.

Advocates of the 'opt-in' system say that it gives people and their relatives the right to dignity and control over their own bodies (even though they're dead anyway), and also removes the risk of organs being removed by mistake when a patient is THOUGHT to be dead but is in fact yet alive (meaning that they WOULD have recovered, but the organ removal killed them anyway). Those who support the 'opt-out' system say that it would hugely increase the number of donor organs available for transplant and save hundreds of lives per year, whilst at the same time giving the individual the right to say 'no' if they don't want their organs removed after they have died.

Both sides have valid arguments, but in most countries, the 'opt-in' method is preferred. In Europe, only Portugal has the 'opt-out' system, although it is scheduled to be introduced in Wales as well before long.