Are you an organ donor? I am.

Thanks to a recent King County court case; however, I'm rethinking some aspects of organ donation. My own Directive to Physicians (Living Will) allows organ donations to living persons, but does not allow organ donations for research purposes.

That's the part I have to rethink. Wouldn't medical research on "recently used" organs help all of us in the future? Probably - but the slippery slope involves private research companies who pay for the organs and whose goal is to make a profit by patenting or selling the product of their research.

Shouldn't my heirs benefit in some way from a "for profit" sale? Is that too crass?

Perhaps I should take the broadest possible view and encourage medical research in whatever form it takes, governmental, non-profit or for profit. That would benefit the broadest possible future good.

The problem is that I thought I had made the decision and that whoever wanted to harvest my organs would check with my family. It seems that is not true. A recent King County Superior Court judge has determined that my authorization as represented on my driver's license authorizes the King County Medical Examiners Office to harvest organs and sell them to companies who use them for medical research without any sort of permission by the next of kin to do so.

I fear that once news of this decision gets out to the public, there will be many who will opt out of organ donation on their driver's license. That will really strangle the good works of all those who are working toward faster, more effective organ donation.

At this point, for myself, I think I will decide in favor of organ donation, even if it benefits a "for profit" research organization, but I can certainly understand the viewpoints of those who do not reach the same conclusion. If you would like more information on limiting the use of your organs, contact the Living Legacy Registry in Bellevue, or go on line to Livinglegacyregistry.org.

Sharon Best is a West Seattle attorney and may be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com