Dick Cheney’s heart transplant rekindles age debate

[malaise]

http://bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2012/03/25/dick-cheney-heart-transplant-rekindles-debate-about-age-limit/eSNFfq21iKKowusiCqGxNJ/story.html
<snip>
Doctors say it is unlikely that former Vice President Dick Cheney, who is 71, got special treatment when he was given a new heart that thousands of younger people also were in line to receive.

Still, his case reopens debate about whether rules should be changed to favor youth over age in giving out scarce organs. As it stands now, time on the waiting list, medical need, and where you live determine the odds of receiving a new heart - not how many years you will live to make use of it.

“The ethical issues are not that he had a transplant, but who didn’t?’’ Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at Scripps Health in La Jolla, Calif., wrote on Twitter.

“We have done several patients hovering around age 70’’ although that’s about “the upper limit’’ for a transplant, said Dr. Mariell Jessup, a University of Pennsylvania heart failure specialist and American Heart Association spokeswoman. “The fact he waited such a long time shows he didn’t get any favors.’’

[Ganja Ninja]

1. And then there's the whole issue of giving a transplant to a war criminal. n/t

[onenote]

2. Only an issue for those that think that the government and doctors should play god

Personally, I don't want medical decisions to be made based on anything other than medical criteria. For anyone.

[madokie]

3. At some point doesn't the world court take over the prosecution of war criminals?

After it is shown that the country where they reside or where they committed these war crimes can't or won't prosecute them themselves.
If I remember correctly Spain is where the world court is convened due to the fact they were not involved with the second world war so were seen as impartial so the honor went to them.
Cheney I hope you have a few more years left in your old war mongering ass.


Maybe I'm misremembering all this if so mybad