I’m happy to share an update on a story we covered earlier this year – about a young girl – Amelia – who has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Back in January, her mother wrote about an awful meeting at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about Amelia’s failing kidneys. They were told by the transplant surgeon that her … Continue reading Update on Amelia (Philadelphia Transplant Denial) With Welcome News
It’s become fairly clear over the past few years that two trends in medicine are in conflict, albeit mostly under the radar. On one hand, several promising research and clinical developments have given reason to be cautiously optimistic about the recovery potential of at least some people with significant brain damage, and has led to … Continue reading Joseph Fins, Expert on Consciousness, Calls for Temperance re: Organ Solicitation and Severe Brain Injury
Action Alert: Procuring organs from people with disabilities Take Action! Comments on proposed rules due Friday, June 15! The United Network on Organ Sharing (UNOS) has issued proposed requirements for organ procurement from people who depend on ventilators or other life sustaining treatment, including people with upper spinal cord injuries and people with neuromuscular disabilities. … Continue reading Action Alert! Speak Out on Proposed Rules for ‘Procuring’ Organs from People with Disabilities
Today ( Feb. 21, 2012) in the Maryland legislature, the House Health and Government Operations Committee held a hearing on HB 449, a bill to grant health care surrogates the power to donate “non-vital” organs (a kidney or lobe of a liver) of a person diagnosed to be in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). I … Continue reading Maryland: Using a “PVS” Diagnosis to justify Organ Harvesting Without Consent
Recently, Diane Coleman wrote about new proposals to increase the pool of donor organs, and that have particularly disturbing ramifications in terms of the care and treatment of newly disabled individuals. We already know that organ transplant teams are more than willing to obtain organs from individuals with long-term disabilities, as highlighted by the case … Continue reading Philadelphia: Young Girl Being Denied Transplant Because Her “Retardation” Doesn’t Make Her “Worthy”
