Donated organs leave Ireland?

Smidge

I don't know if there is any truth to this so will just throw it out there to see if anyone can enlighten me as I have heard this twice over the last year from two different people.
I was told that a very substantial amount of the organs donated here in Ireland are not donated to Irish people but instead leave the country and are given to other nations(mostly Spain apparently).
Well???
Fact of Fiction???

lazygal

There's this great invention called google where you can type in a question and get an answer. Its a marvelous way of searching for information.

http://www.google.ie/

Here OP, give it a try! It's free!

Peetrik

What you only consent to save Irish lives and wouldn't want Spanish peoples lives to be saved with your organs?

Mr Magners

A lot of organs which are transplanted into Irish people come from outside the country.

token101

I'd rather they go the most needy tbh. Couldn't give a f*** what nationality they are.

Smidge

Peetrik wrote: »

What you only consent to save Irish lives and wouldn't want Spanish peoples lives to be saved with your organs?

I would like to think someone in the same country as myself would get first dibs on my innards when I pop my clogs as I guess most people would.;)

earpiece

Pick'n'mix.......... life is life, they can send mine to the moon when I'm spent if it helps someone.

Smidge

token101 wrote: »

I'd rather they go the most needy tbh. Couldn't give a f*** what nationality they are.

Surely the people here have the same degree of illness as abroad?
My post isn't organ racism.

LizT

A life is a life. Wouldn't really care if my organs went to Mary down the road or Miguel in Mexico.

Smidge

Mr Magners wrote: »

A lot of organs which are transplanted into Irish people come from outside the country.

So you reckon it could be "two way traffic"?
You need our eyes, we need your kidneys type thing?

oppenheimer1

Organs go where they are needed most. I am almost certain there is a sharing arrangement between the UK and Ireland. You might recall that young leitrim girl a few months ago that missed her transplant due to a mix up... It works both ways.

Donny5

mishkalucy wrote: »

I would like to think someone in the same country as myself would get first dibs on my innards when I pop my clogs as I guess most people would.;)

Nope, I couldn't care less where they're from, only that they've the best chance at survival. Sure only last year, we had the high profile case of Meadhbh McGivern, who missed the first chance at a liver from a British donor because of a transport SNAFU.

Chuck Stone

I can deal with them taking organs but if they try to take one harpsichord off this island I'm going thermonuclear.



I hate myself.

imitation

If you think about it, we probably have to do organ exchanges, I mean what are the chances of getting a good liver in Ireland ?!

Fratton Fred

lizt wrote: »

A life is a life. Wouldn't really care if my organs went to Mary down the road or Miguel in Mexico.

My neighbour Mary can have my organ any time she likes.....

seamus

Family and friends first, then after that whoever needs it most gets first dibs in my books. Nationality is irrelevant

mikemac1

Ireland and the UK share resources here
I've never ever heard of Spain being involved

But we definitely cooperate with the UK here and due to population we do a bit better out of the deal

Sure we had a thread a few months back on that young girl from Mayo/Sligo or somewhere up there and the whole story about the government jet being available to go to London

shopaholic01

You can only receive organs if your blood/tissue types match so organs from Irish people may not be transplanted into an Irish recipient. Would you prefer they just throw them out?

'Irish organs for Irish people' - a new reason to protest!

LLU

mishkalucy wrote: »

I would like to think someone in the same country as myself would get first dibs on my innards when I pop my clogs as I guess most people would.;)

And who says they don't? There's a hell of a lot more into deciding who gets donated organs other than distance you know. If you're so concerned about it, suggest you do a bit more research about it. Hint: AH is probably not the best place to start this research.

xflyer

Haven't you heard of all the air ambulance missions where Irish people are flown to England to get organs from British people.

It's all about matching organs. If no one in Ireland matches it goes abroad. Also it's a question of priorities. If someone is in danger of dying they get first priority. Whethet they be in Cork or Madrid.

Clearly you have no idea how it works. I suggest you do a bit of googling. You cannot just stick a random kidney into a random person. :rolleyes:

Clueless!

MJRS

mishkalucy wrote: »

I would like to think someone in the same country as myself would get first dibs on my innards when I pop my clogs as I guess most people would.;)

Why? What does nationality have to do with illness?

foxinsox

In my expert knowledge (watching documentary somewhere along the line):

For an organ to be suitable for tranplantation here are some points:

Accessability of patient to organ - geography - how fast can both be in same place?

Severity of recipients illness/urgency

Are surgeons available - cardiac surgeon could be on holidays

Bloods must match or something medical like that

Physical size of organ - child's heart might not work for adult etc

Transportation of actual organ being donated

Speed of permission from donors family - even with card, I think.



I think everyone should carry an Organ Donor Card and please tell your family of your wishes, it could save many lives.

_AVALANCHE_

lazygal wrote: »

There's this great invention called google where you can type in a question and get an answer. Its a marvelous way of searching for information.

http://www.google.ie/

Here OP, give it a try! It's free!

Was it broke the day you left the immersion on?

Smidge

MJRS wrote: »

Why? What does nationality have to do with illness?

Ireland has one of the highest rates of Cystic Fibrosis in the world(welcome to corrections on this)
So, nationality and illness would have a lot to do with this and organ donation I suspect

Smidge

xflyer wrote: »

Haven't you heard of all the air ambulance missions where Irish people are flown to England to get organs from British people.

It's all about matching organs. If no one in Ireland matches it goes abroad. Also it's a question of priorities. If someone is in danger of dying they get first priority. Whethet they be in Cork or Madrid.

Clearly you have no idea how it works. I suggest you do a bit of googling. You cannot just stick a random kidney into a random person. :rolleyes:

Clueless!

Eh cheers for the input but I am aware that you cannot just ram a kidney from one person to another just because they need it. I have played "Operation" you know;)
I wasn't enquiring as to the medical side of the procedure just if more than a cross channel organ exchange(ie Uk and Ireland)was taking place.

alchemist33

From personal experience, I can tell you that many Irish organs do go abroad; to the UK at least.

MJRS

mishkalucy wrote: »

Ireland has one of the highest rates of Cystic Fibrosis in the world(welcome to corrections on this)
So, nationality and illness would have a lot to do with this and organ donation I suspect

Are you suggesting that "Spain" gets organs needed by Cystic Fibrosis sufferers in Ireland?

Smidge

I had done a fair bit of googling about this before I posted here and was aware that uk and Ireland assisted one another(due to proximity I guess). The thing I was really asking for info about was the amount of Irish organs going elsewhere(ie not uk). Could find any figures by googling

ur mentor

mishkalucy wrote: »

I would like to think someone in the same country as myself would get first dibs on my innards when I pop my clogs as I guess most people would.;)

um..why? what difference will it make to you?:D

Smidge

MJRS wrote: »

Are you suggesting that "Spain" gets organs needed by Cystic Fibrosis sufferers in Ireland?

I wasn't suggesting anything but was replying to a comment that asked what nationality had to do with illness

Smidge

ur mentor wrote: »

um..why? what difference will it make to you?:D

I have two friends on the transplant list at the minute so a vested interest I guess;)

_AVALANCHE_

Better place to ask OP, methinks.

EGAR

imitation wrote: »

If you think about it, we probably have to do organ exchanges, I mean what are the chances of getting a good liver in Ireland ?!

Mine. I don't imbibe and have a donor card but I am not telling you where I live!!

Smidge

The point of my original question was not about organ donation "swap" agreement between us and the UK but organs going out of state to other countries and the favour not being returned

mikemac1

So the Spanairds steal our fish and take our organs

A nation of thieves :mad:

Smidge

mikemac1 wrote: »

So the Spanairds steal our fish and take our organs

A nation of thieves :mad:

Okay Okay
No-one expects the Spanish "inner"quisition

Capt'n Midnight

There is talk about us organ pooling with the UK and the Netherlands so there is a greater chance of finding a match.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Dialysis/Pages/Results.aspx

People who begin dialysis when they are in their late twenties have an average life expectancy of 20 years, while older adults who are over 75 years of age have an average life expectancy of four years.

2010 you had an 18:1 chance of receiving a kidney - or call it an average waiting time of 18 years

2010 saw the worst decline in organ donation in Ireland on record. There were 58 deceased donors and 23 living kidney donors. Of the organs received from deceased donors - 98 kidneys were transplanted; 38 liver transplants; 3 heart transplants, 4 lung transplants and 8 pancreas. 23 living donor kidney transplants took place during 2010, 5 more than in 2009. The number of patients on dialysis at the end of 2010 was 1,780 in comparison with 1,679 in December 2009.

Something like 3 out of 4 people now waiting for a kidney will die before they get one

ProfessorWeeto

So ... Ireland gives donated organs to other countries? At first I dont see a problem with that as long as the organ saves a life. Who cares what country it goes to.

But then, dont we have mental waiting lists in this country for transplants? Shouldnt we help those in Ireland before anyone else?

AlmightyCushion

ProfessorWeeto wrote: »

So ... Ireland gives donated organs to other countries? At first I dont see a problem with that as long as the organ saves a life. Who cares what country it goes to.

But then, dont we have mental waiting lists in this country for transplants? Shouldnt we help those in Ireland before anyone else?

The organ that's donated might not be suitable for those patients.

Robbo

I'm pretty sure Jim Coir/SPUC warned us about the Euro Organgrabber Squadrons in the Lisbon Treaty.

Alternately

Export led recovery. Pull on the green jersey and pull out a kidney.

Smidge

ProfessorWeeto wrote: »

So ... Ireland gives donated organs to other countries? At first I dont see a problem with that as long as the organ saves a life. Who cares what country it goes to.

But then, dont we have mental waiting lists in this country for transplants? Shouldnt we help those in Ireland before anyone else?

Ireland has one of the highest rates of organ donation in the whole world. So I agree with you, why do we have such a long list of people on the waiting list?
Where are these organs going if not to Irish people?

starbelgrade

Dey tuk ur orguns.

ProfessorWeeto

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

The organ that's donated might not be suitable for those patients.

Can you honestly say the only reason these organs are 'exported (maybe a bad word) is because they are rare blood types? such rare blood types that dont match the people waiting for organs in this country

... or are these being 'exported' over a suitable person currently on the Irish waiting list?

token101

mishkalucy wrote: »

Surely the people here have the same degree of illness as abroad?
My post isn't organ racism.

What the f*** are you on about? I have no interest in a person's nationality when donating an organ. They have lists. If there's someone critically in need, then you give it to them. The fact that you even mention someone's nationality or racism just makes your argument more bizarre and utterly daft.

AlmightyCushion

ProfessorWeeto wrote: »

Can you honestly say the only reason this organs are 'exported (maybe a bad word) is because they are rare blood types? such rare blood types that dont match the people waiting for organs in this country

... or are these being 'exported' over a suitable person on the Irish waiting list?

I'm not an expert on this subject but from what little I do understand it's more complicated than just blood type matching. How many organs are even donated in Ireland, I can't imagine it's very many.

token101

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

I'm not an expert on this subject but from what little I do understand it's more complicated than just blood type matching. How many organs are even donated in Ireland, I can't imagine it's very many.

Considering the amount of suicides/car accidents/people who die from anything but total organ failure, it would be a lot. The nurse would always ask anyone eligible when they tell you the person is dead. I'd say a lot of people would consent.

Smidge

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

I'm not an expert on this subject but from what little I do understand it's more complicated than just blood type matching. How many organs are even donated in Ireland, I can't imagine it's very many.

According to the Organ Procurement Agency in Ireland we have donation of 20.3 pmp here so it's pretty high

ProfessorWeeto

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

I'm not an expert on this subject but from what little I do understand it's more complicated than just blood type matching. How many organs are even donated in Ireland, I can't imagine it's very many.

By all means I'm no expert too
But I cant just help but feel that maybe there is a financial / business aspect to all this.

Sure, as we all know if you've got the money you will get your organ quicker than being on any waiting list. And i'm pretty sure that quickness comes about by paying top dollar

So i dunno, maybe alot of these organs being exported, perhaps beyond ones being rare, are done so because someone is paying top dollar and there for the normal joe blow on the list next in line gets shafted.

Smidge

token101 wrote: »

What the f*** are you on about? I have no interest in a person's nationality when donating an organ. They have lists. If there's someone critically in need, then you give it to them. The fact that you even mention someone's nationality or racism just makes your argument more bizarre and utterly daft.

IIRC you brought up the nationality thing, not me. My point was that there are so many people here requiring organ transplantation surely they would be our priority(not withstanding suitability)

_AVALANCHE_

token101 wrote: »

What the f*** are you on about? I have no interest in a person's nationality when donating an organ. They have lists. If there's someone critically in need, then you give it to them. The fact that you even mention someone's nationality or racism just makes your argument more bizarre and utterly daft.

:rolleyes:

44leto

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

:rolleyes:

:rolleyes::rolleyes: