A new state law takes effect today which may help save lives — when other lives are lost. Paul Sodders, spokesman for the Iowa Donor Network, says the new law allows any written form of organ donor or tissue donor consent to legally stand, regardless of what relatives may say.In the past, legal next-of-kin always gave consent. This new way is called “First Person Consent” where Iowans can give their consent for donation before their death. Now, Iowans who check the “yes” box for organ donation on their driver’s licenses -will- have their organs donated, even if a loved one objects.The “yes” is for organ donation only. People who wish to also donate tissue or corneas should go to the website, “www.IowaDonorRegistry.org”, and give consent there for the other options. Sodders says relatives sometimes do not follow the wishes of the person who died, which in turn, prevents other lives from being saved.Sodders says Iowa’s only the tenth state in the U-S to pass this law and he hopes it will result in an increase in donations. Some 330 Iowans are on the waiting list for organs. Thousands are waiting for tissue transplants. In the past month, the national waiting list for organs topped 80-thousand for the first time.
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