denied access or removed from transplant list?

[health reporter]

Hello!

I am a health reporter with the Bend Bulletin, a daily newspaper in Bend, Oregon. I'm working on story about some government regulations that may be serving as a barrier to transplant. I'm looking for individuals who transplant centers are unwilling to list because they're too old or too high risk. Also would like to talk to patients who couldn't get listed at a transplant center near them, so had to travel to another center who was willing to list them.

If that sound like you, and you'd be willing to talk to me, please email me at health@bendbulletin.com.

Thanks!
Markian Hawryluk
health reporter
Bend Bulletin

[health reporter]

Just wanted to let you know that my series on organ transplants is running this week. The first story ran yesterday with two more coming this week.

You can read all the stories here: www.bendbulletin.com/transplants

Markian

[Zach]

"… thousands of viable organs are thrown out each year…"
Do you have actual facts, not opinions, to back up those claims?

[jeannea]

I'm with you Zach. How do we know organs are being thrown out? This article says kidney transplants are down but doesn't explore if less people are willing to donate. It is irresponsible to just say they're being thrown out with nothing to back that up.

CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION.

[Ninanna]

I actually read a good article recently that talked about inefficiencies in cadaver donor kidneys and how it is believed around half of all kidneys that are thrown out are usable and can and would have benefits for people. It covered everything from people waiting for a perfect kidney, multiple rejections of the kidney by patients creating a self fulling prophecy of an undesired kidney, an over reliance on kidney biposies, as well as pressure from government regulators to provide the highest possible outcome numbers.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/health/transplant-experts-blame-allocation-system-for-discarding-kidneys.html?ref=us

[jeannea]

That's a frustrating article. They don't chase down the reasons. For the one kidney, they claim 10,000 people turned it down. But they don't give even one reason why someone would have turned it down. There has to be some reason why 10,000 people would not want that transplant. I know I turned down a kidney. They told me she comitted suicide and had a history of drug use and prostitution. I don't know if anyone ever took it but I thought I made the right decision. And it doesn't explore the other side of throwing out organs. Are hearts and lungs only offered if they're in good shape or are people offered the lungs from a 40 year smoker and forced to make a decision? I wish journalists would do thorough reporting.

[Ninanna]

That's a frustrating article. They don't chase down the reasons. For the one kidney, they claim 10,000 people turned it down. But they don't give even one reason why someone would have turned it down. There has to be some reason why 10,000 people would not want that transplant.

It's true they did not say why (and the people who turned it down might have all had a different reason) but it really makes you wonder when his liver and his left kidney went to someone else.  Especially because the article described him as a fit 36 year old who died from smoke inhalation in a fire.