transplants for death row...is this true?

[Audreysmomma]

I have heard from a few of my co-workers that people on death row qualify for transplants, yes even kidneys. Can I just say WTF!!?? If this is true we have got to start a petition or something. If these criminals are in jail, awaiting to be killed, why waste an organ on them? This has got to be the stupidest thing I have heard of. If anyone knows if this is true, please let me know. Or I would love to hear what other people think about the subject. This is ridiculous and if it's true, we have to stop it! There are GOOD people in the world who need organs to live better lives, and wasting them on scum should be illegal! Let them die, they obviously did something to deserve it!

[Chris]

I don't think this is true to some degree. I do not think they should ever get a transplant if they are on death row, in prison for life, killed someone, or a repeat offender. Prison to me is meant for you to suffer for your consequences. of the actions you did. However there is laws that state that they get adequate medical care for ethical treatment of prisoners. I just don't know the details, but I don't want my tax dollars to be paying for a transplant for someone especially on death row when the organs could have gone to a more qualified person who contributes to society. If I remember, I will ask UNOS about this when I have more time.

[donnia]

I have never heard of that, but if it is true then I think it should be changed!  I think it would be great if they could make it where the people on death row could donate their organs tho.

[twirl]

I live in Texas, we have the most people executed, give them a kidney and then fry them, and kill the kidney too.
I have a longer wait than I thought.      everything is bigger in Texas even the dumb

I know death row gets dialysis because our workers can train there and they train in other prisons and they get dialysis and medication for pain if they want. They get special diets also to match what they need.

This is how I feel now but if I loved someone on death row I may feel differently, ( God forbide)

[Chris]

From UNOS website ( www.unos.org/resources/bioethics.asp?index=3 )

UNOS Ethics Committee Position Statement Regarding Convicted Criminals and Transplant Evaluation 1



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Note: This report is circulated for informational purposes and to stimulate discussion of a very important subject. The report has been presented to the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors. It has not been adopted as policy.



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Punitive attitudes that completely exclude those convicted of crimes from receiving medical treatment, including an organ transplant are not ethically legitimate. The more difficult question is whether one's status as a convicted criminal should be a factor in reaching a decision regarding who should be eligible to obtain an organ transplant. In other words, should convicted criminal status be considered in evaluating individuals for organ transplantation?

Another view argues that convicted criminal status should be irrelevant in the evaluation for candidacy as a potential transplant recipient. This position assumes that convicted criminals have been sentenced only to a specific punishment, i.e., incarceration, fines, or probation. However, the convicted criminal has not been sentenced by society to an additional punishment of an inability to receive consideration for medical services. This argument also emphasizes that criminals not sentenced to death are expected to return to society and be deemed worthy of equal treatment in the receipt of other items/services distributed by society.

The UNOS allocation system is based on the principles of equity and medical utility with the concept of justice applied to both access (consideration) as well as allocation (distribution). The UNOS Ethics Committee opines that absent any societal imperative, one's status as a prisoner should not preclude them from consideration for a transplant; such consideration does not guarantee transplantation. Acknowledged are medical and non-medical factors that may influence one's candidacy for transplant however prisoner status is not an absolute contraindication. Although one's status as a prisoner may evoke legitimate medical concerns (i.e., infectious diseases), as well as psychosocial issues (i.e., character disorders and substance abuse problems that may compromise compliance), judgments regarding these medical and non-medical factors are the purview of individual transplant teams. Consideration of prisoners as well as others for transplantation includes evaluation of medical and non-medical factors relative to their impact on transplant outcome. Screening for all potential recipients should be done at the candidacy stage and once listed, all candidates should be eligible for equitable allocation of organs.

1This statement does not address how governments allocate limited funds available for medical procedures.

[Sunny]

If I had healthy organs to donate, I would not want them going to a prisoner. I would venture to bet most donors would be in agreement.
Does this mean when we sign donor cards we need to stipulate "except for prisoners or convicted felons." If the average "Joe" thinks their organs
might go to a murderer on death row, then we have yet another reason for the public to reject organ donation.

[twirl]

but what if they are on death row and have been wrongly convicted

[Chris]

but what if they are on death row and have been wrongly convicted

One thought, Until they are proven that they were wrongfully convicted, no transplant. When equitted of all charges, then move up to the front of the line.

[stauffenberg]

The Constitution forbids 'cruel or unusual' punishment, and any denial of medical care as a consequence of having to be in prison would constitute illegal punishment for that reason.  The state is only allowed to fine, imprison, or execute people as punishment, not invent any other forms of suffering, so withholding required medical care, which can include a transplant if necessary, would be regarded as inhumane and illegal.

Those who question people on death row getting transplants might ask how far they would extend that principle?  Would you deny insulin to diabetics and watch them die slowly over a week before death in ketoacidosis coma?  What about dialysis patients on death row?  Why not leave them to die sufferng in the prison cell, since in a few weeks or months they will be dead anyway, and dialysis is expensive!

[mysty]

I disagree.. people on death row can receive dialysis.. fine..
but not a transplant..
Insulin.. obviously they arent getting a new pancreas..
etc..

Why should they.. not cruel and unusual if they are getting dialysis..
Whats cruel and unusual is those NOT on death row having to get behind a deathrow inmate
with a brand spanking new kidney to be fried away..

That to me.. is rediculous!

[annabanana]

And then there is the question of who PAYS for these transplants.

[mysty]

And then there is the question of who PAYS for these transplants.

Grrrrrrrrrr

[Chris]

The buck is passed on to the tax payers I am sure. Even if the prison is privately owned, as tax payers, we pay their contract with the state. Quit wasting tax dollars on giving imates cable tv, work out equipment, they don't need luxuries. Just give them educational opportunities if they are going to be released. Lucky I'm not a warden, I'd make them suffer a bit and deny them access to transplantation. Dialysis on the other hand, crank it up a notch to make them suffer a little by taking a little to much off. That'll calm their butt's down a little and not want to do much.

[Romona]

If I had healthy organs to donate, I would not want them going to a prisoner. I would venture to bet most donors would be in agreement.
Does this mean when we sign donor cards we need to stipulate "except for prisoners or convicted felons." If the average "Joe" thinks their organs
might go to a murderer on death row, then we have yet another reason for the public to reject organ donation.

That would open a big can of worms. People would then want to exclude the organs not be used for people that have different beliefs as theirs, gender, race,sexual orientation,... ect. Even though most donors do not feel that way, there are always a few.

[KT0930]

One of the big issues that transplant teams look at in considering whether you will be placed on the list or even accepted into their program is whether you will be compliant with the medication for the LIFE OF THE TRANSPLANT  - which we all know can be up to 30 years or more. If a person is unable to comply with the most basic of human decency laws (don't take another's life), then how can they be expected to comply with a somewhat complicated, demanding medication schedule? Not to mention that transplant patients immune systems are compromised, and they are told to avoid sick people as much as possible. If you are in prison, there's no way to control who you will come into contact with on a daily basis. Colds, flu, and other bacterial infections as well as HIV, Hep C and other communicable diseases run rampant in places like prisons and jails.

[paddbear0000]

This pisses me off too! I just wonder if anyone on death row has ever received an organ transplant?

[paddbear0000]

Here's some links with relevant info.

http://atheism.about.com/od/bioethics/a/deathrowtrans_3.htm

News about an Oregan deathrow inmate requesting a kidney transplant back in 2003-

http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=59756

http://web.archive.org/web/20051230142001/http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90611&page=1

And in case you're curious about the outcome of the case...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0YUG/is_12_13/ai_n18615934

[flip]

I say go ahead and execute them and use their organs for transplants.

[KT0930]

I say go ahead and execute them and use their organs for transplants.

flip, on the surface, I completely agree with you. However, after making a similar argument in another thread, I did a little bit of reading and found out that because of the way we execute prisoners in this country (generally either lethal injection or electric chair), their organs are not viable for transplant. Too bad, that could have been their last chance to do something FOR another human being instead of TO them.

[Chris]

Here's some links with relevant info.

http://atheism.about.com/od/bioethics/a/deathrowtrans_3.htm

News about an Oregan deathrow inmate requesting a kidney transplant back in 2003-

http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=59756

http://web.archive.org/web/20051230142001/http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90611&page=1

And in case you're curious about the outcome of the case...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0YUG/is_12_13/ai_n18615934

From reading he article, it seems to depend on a state by state case whether an inmate gets a transplant.

However, if we use organs from an executed inmate, what harm has lethal injection done to the organ or what is the possible danger to the recipeint from the medications used. Likewise with electrcution.. Not sure if they use the gas chamber anymore. Hopefully they have studied that.

[okarol]

In the past China administered executions with a single bullet to the head or the heart to preserve the organs.
Sad but true.

[Audreysmomma]

that's good! Hey they are not going to need them anymore why not use them on someone else? I mean we(taxpayers) are paying for them to be in jail with food and cable TV, we are probably paying for the "lethal injection" for the staff that is needed to kill these good for nothing convicts. Why don't we get a say in what to do with their organs?

[Chris]

that's good! Hey they are not going to need them anymore why not use them on someone else? I mean we(taxpayers) are paying for them to be in jail with food and cable TV, we are probably paying for the "lethal injection" for the staff that is needed to kill these good for nothing convicts. Why don't we get a say in what to do with their organs?

I just wouldn't want an organ from some of these prisoners though. If they have abused drugs is a concern I have. As for shooting them, let's bring back hanging too, it's cheap on equipment to purchase and to do until you get the ethitist involved. Just give them the choice, you hang yourself or we shoot you! Your choice!

[flip]

I've been to death row on several occasions and wouldn't have a problem with an organ donor from there. They have excellent medical care and a good nutritous diet. Anything but a skin graft, I don't like tatoos.

[Chris]

I wrote to UNOS after I read this story a few days ago and today I received an email on the position of transplants and prisoners on death row. Here is their reply:

Beverley Trinkle to me
show details 2:31 PM (8 hours ago) Reply


Thank you for visiting www.transplantliving.org.  UNOS maintains the national organ procurement and transplantation network (OPTN) under contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  In this capacity we promote organ donation and serve transplant candidates (patients) who are on the national waiting list for solid organs, such as heart, liver, kidney, heart-lung, lung and pancreas. UNOS members include every transplant program, organ procurement organization and tissue typing laboratory in the United States.
Individual transplant centers determine whether or not a patient meets their criteria for listing as a transplant candidate. If a potential transplant candidate is in prison on death row, it would be up to the state prison system as to what medical care they provide.
 
Beverley C. Trinkle
UNOS Patient Services
www.transplantliving.org 
888-894-6361