How do you view the court decision regarding moving people on transplant lists?

[GoneOffShore]

From USA Today:

A federal judge Wednesday ordered that a dying 10-year-old suburban Philadelphia girl be placed temporarily on an adult transplant list for a new lung.

Sarah Murnaghan, of Newtown Square, has end-stage cystic fibrosis and just weeks to live, doctors say. But organ-transplant rules say children under age 12 must wait for lungs from young donors, which happens infrequently.

U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson issued a temporarily restraining order because of the severity of her illness, ruling she could be placed on the list until at least June 14, when a court hearing is scheduled.

I heard a discussion about this yesterday and initially I was in favor. However, after much consideration, I'm agreeing with Kathleen Sebelius and others that doctors should make make the medical decisions, not lawyers.

I think by going to law, this will start a two tier system for transplants. If you have the money for a lawyer and a case you'll move up the list.

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	A humane but wrong decision.
	2 (100%)
	A humane but right decision.
	0 (0%)
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[alarimer]

1. I think it sets a bad precedent.

It's not a bad idea to revisit the guidelines from time to time, but to make one exception opens the floodgates for others.

[Travis_0004]

2. I'm leaning towards humane but wrong

I'll admit, I know almost nothing about medical transplants.

If she can accept an adult lung, it can be modified to fit her, and she can live a healthy life, then I have no problem with her receiving it.

I just don't want a situation to occur where she receives it, and its very likely that it won't work because its too big for her, and she ends up dying, and that lung could have gone to somebody else.

Either way, I hope that stories like this can make people think about organ donation and sign up. If we could get everybody to sign up and agree to be an organ donor, I think most people would get an organ while waiting.

[GoneOffShore]

3. Good point.

If there were enough donors this wouldn't be a matter for the courts.