Avoiding the looming shadow of death has been the popular pursuit for many medical researchers. How to prolong human existence? How to extend the boundaries of an ordinary lifespan? Simple, once a particular part has worn out, just swap it for a new one. Sound theory, however the actual practice causes many questions, both medical and ethical.

Doctors may have been able to solve the medical questions quite effectively, but the moral issues have, if anything increased. There are always more people in need of organs than there are donors. People's religious beliefs may stop them from donating organs. Even if this is not the case, families may find the prospect of having their deceased loved ones, to put it crudely, chopped up, rather shocking. Specialist teams have been established to approach the recently bereaved to seek their assistance through organ donation, but this is a very delicate and traumatic process at such a difficult point in the grieving process.

Then there is the question of who gets what. How do we decide who has priority? Many possible systems of prioritizing applicants are possible. Here are some suggestions, what do you think?

Should organs be given first to (please rank) -

In 1996, the American NORC conducted by General Social Survey, of more than 1,500 interviewees. They were offered the first four of the above options to those surveyed and found that more than eight out of ten favoured the "first come first served" system. The auction system was by far the least favoured by those surveyed.

Below are a list of links which will give you further information on Organ Donation.

Accord Organ Donation

Australian Transplant Awareness Association

Donor Network of Arizona

TransWeb

Union of American Hebrew Congregations

Lori Noye's Organ Transplant Website