Connecticut House Bill HB06079

Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/21
• Refer: 1/28/21

Caption

An Act Concerning The Medical History Of Organ And Tissue Donors.

Note

Overall, HB 6079 is a legislative step designed to facilitate organ donation and potentially enhance the lives saved through such donations, but it must also navigate the delicate balance between public health objectives and individual privacy rights.

Impact

The implications of HB 6079 are far-reaching for both the medical community and potential organ donors. By collecting medical histories at the point of registration, the bill seeks to ensure that critical health information is available to medical professionals promptly, thereby potentially improving the efficiency and effectiveness of organ transplants. This requirement could lead to an increase in successful transplants by ensuring that donor organs are more compatible with recipients, ultimately contributing to better healthcare outcomes and saving more lives.

Summary

House Bill 6079, titled 'An Act Concerning The Medical History Of Organ And Tissue Donors,' aims to enhance the organ donation process by requiring individuals who wish to be organ donors to provide their medical history when indicating their intent. Specifically, the bill amends chapter 246 of the general statutes to mandate that the Department of Motor Vehicles gather this personal medical health history at the time a prospective donor registers or indicates their donation intent. This approach is designed to streamline the process for families during a time of grief, reducing the burdens placed on them by eliminating the need for them to provide complex medical histories posthumously.

Contention

While the bill purports to ease the burden on families and improve the organ donation process, there may be points of contention regarding privacy concerns. Critics could argue that requiring a detailed medical history at the time of donation intent registration may deter potential donors due to apprehensions about personal health information being shared or the perceived complexity of the process. Additionally, there may be concerns over the administrative burden placed on the Department of Motor Vehicles, which would need to implement additional protocols for collecting and managing sensitive health data.