George Best's determination to drink despite being given a new liver has angered many people. If you had the power, what would you rule on organ donation?

Murat Akyol, consultant transplant surgeon, Edinburgh

I've been involved in transplants for 20 years. The biggest problem in transplants is the mismatch in numbers between the people who need a transplant and the number of organs we have available. We need more people to donate organs. If you do a public opinion questionnaire, you'll find that 90-per cent of people are in favour of organ donation. But when it comes to the sad day when someone dies and you ask for organ removal, then 40-per cent say no. In the event, people find it hard to cope with the difficult decision. So is it fair to ask them, or should legislation be changed so that we don't need to ask them to make that decision at all? If it was changed, it would benefit the number of transplants and not put people in that situation at a time of bereavement.

Kay Smith, Buckie, Moray, recipient of a new kidney

I'd been ill for quite a long time and went on to the kidney transplant list. I was lucky as I got one 11 weeks later. That was just seven weeks ago and I feel a whole lot better already. It's changed everything. It's like a new life. I'm not tired and unwell like I was before. It's like being normal again. I'm getting married too. If I made a law on this, I think it would be good if the organ donation register was run on an opt-out rather than opt-in basis. If everyone was on it, only those with strong opinions against it would come off it.

Kirsty Wilson, aged 15

If I had the power to change the procedures when donating organs, I'd start by ruling that it was the people who didn't want their organs donated who had to be the ones carrying a card.

Kayleigh Hill, aged 15

I feel that many people do not understand the full concept of organ donations. I know that if someone I loved was to suddenly pass away, I would rather see a part of them live on and help someone else. But I would only let it happen if the full family was in total agreement that it was for the best, also if it is the person's wishes. I was appalled when I found out that some doctors were carrying out organ transplants without the permission from the deceased's family members. This would be a horrible thing to discover of your loved one.

Eilidh Marshall, aged 17, Duns

I would introduce a law in which everyone in the country would hold a donor card.

Undoubtedly, many people wouldn't agree with this, but if it was the other way round and they were in the position of needing a donor, and were on a long waiting list, they would want a donor to be found.