Category Archives: Stephen Mikochik

NPR’s Morning Edition Covers the Organ Procurement Debate

NPR’s Morning Edition included a segment on the policy debate regarding organ procurement taking place June 24 and 25 at the Board meeting of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) in Richmond, Virginia.  Not Dead Yet issued a press release on this subject last week: Not Dead Yet Urges Secretary Sebelius … Continue reading NPR’s Morning Edition Covers the Organ Procurement Debate

Maryland: Using a “PVS” Diagnosis to justify Organ Harvesting Without Consent

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

Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities

Less than two months ago, I was introduced to a new policy arena about which I still have much to learn:  the organ procurement and organ sharing system.  In the U.S., the federal Department of Health and Human Services contracts with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to manage … Continue reading Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities