Refusing a 22 year old alcoholic a liver transplant?

Published by You on 21 July, 2009 - 03:07
Yes, the NHS did right
38% (13 votes)
No, the NHS did wrong
29% (10 votes)
I don't know
32% (11 votes)
Total votes: 34
Submitted by You on 21 July, 2009 - 03:08

Man refused liver transplant dies

A man from east London who began binge-drinking at 13 has died after being denied a life-saving liver transplant.

Gary Reinbach, 22, from Dagenham, was given only a few weeks to live after developing cirrhosis of the liver.

He was admitted to University College Hospital London (UCL) with alcohol damage for the first time 10 weeks ago.

But health chiefs ruled he should not be exempt from strict organ donation criteria which require an alcohol-free period of at least six months.

Mr Reinbach, who died on Sunday, was too ill to be sent home after his admission to hospital...

Read more @ BBC News

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"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by You on 22 July, 2009 - 18:12

He died due to an infection three weeks after it was found - the rules are that a person has to be teetotal for 6 months before being put onto the transplant list.

That is all good and well for those that have more than 6 months to live when first diagnosed... he had no choice there.

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"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by You on 24 July, 2009 - 14:45

No idea, but I would assume it was linked to alcohol, but it could be some other disease too.

Either way, he was not given a chance to reform his ways. If he could have survived 6 more months, maybe he would have gone teetotal? I am sure being given the choice between life and death can have a massive effect on people...

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"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by You on 24 July, 2009 - 14:51

How about I will "eat chocolate" followed by a random accidental car crash where the teeth are broken and the dentist goes "if you ate chocolate in the past 6 months, you cannot have your teeth repaired. Sorry we just can't trust you."

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"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by You on 24 July, 2009 - 14:57

no idea. It could have been a virus, but it is not specified. Either way, once he got the infection, it was impossible for him to reform to fit into the guidelines.

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"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

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