Organ donation helps save lives, but health systems often struggle to procure enough organs to meet demand.
This can result in long wait times for people who need transplants, especially patients with special requirements.
Many countries have systems in place that allow people to choose to become organ donors.
This means that you have to make a conscious decision to allow people to use your remaining viable organs after you die.
Sadly, organ donations often come from road accident victims, who are more likely to be young and healthy.
In many countries, this still depends on the person making the decision to register as an organ donor.
This approach often means that there are not enough organs available for those who need them, resulting in long waiting lists.
However, Singapore has chosen to take a different approach in dealing with organ donation.
Many countries have voluntary organ donation policies. (Peter Daisley/Getty)
This is because in Singapore, it is not an opt-in policy, but rather people must opt out if they do not want to be an organ donor.
The law states that anyone over the age of 21 and of legally sound mind is automatically added to the organ donor registry.
Singapore introduced the law in 2023 as it faces a rapidly growing demand for organs but a shortage of available organs to match.
The law also only covers four specific organs commonly used for transplants.
These are the heart, cornea, kidneys and brain.
For other parts of the body, such as skin, bones and other tissues, it's still an opt-in process.
This is not the only way Singapore is trying to encourage more people to donate their organs.
The policy was intended to increase the organ supply. (Peter Daisley/Getty)
The more controversial part of the policy is that if you refuse to donate an organ, when a transplant is needed, you will be placed further back on the waiting list than those who did not refuse.
This is clearly intended to incentivise people not to opt out, but it raises questions about the principles of consent and how medical treatment should be provided.
Many would argue that care should be triaged according to those with the greatest medical urgency, regardless of what decision the patient makes.
Striving for greater availability of organs is undoubtedly a morally good aim, but is punishing those who do not do so an ethical approach?
Featured image credit: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images, Getty stock image
Topics: News, World News, Health
