Click To Donate Organ: Long Overdue

New Yorkers can now register online to become an organ donor, which should streamline the organ donation process and hopefully save lives. On July 8, 2010, Governor Patterson signed the Electronic Signature Act, eliminating the need to download enrollment forms and mail them the old-fashioned way.

There are 9,911 residents in New York awaiting an organ transplant, but less than 13% of all eligible drivers are enrolled in the state organ donor registry. To become an organ donor, go to www.savelivesnewyork.org, or also try www.nyhealth.gov/donatelife.

The next law relating to organ donation is known as “presumed consent”, which presumes all residents of New York give their consent to organ donation unless they specifically object either on the back of their driver’s license or through the online registry. I strongly support the presumed consent law as it will exponentially increase the number of organ donors, many of whom just don’t take the time to register for organ donation online.