Category Archives: organ donation

Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities

bioethics, dcd, diane coleman, donation after cardiac death, national catholic partnership on disability, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, public comment, Stephen Mikochik, united network for organ sharing

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 →

Study: Treatment Withdrawal & Death for Patients with Severe Brain Injury Vary By Hospital

"miracles", brain injury, Canada, coma, medical decisionmaking, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, recovery, research, rush to judgment, thaddeus pope

Once again, an item featured on Thaddeus Pope‘s Medical Futility Blog turned out to be something that I wanted to explore in greater detail than the brief blurb given on his blog, in his September 10th post, Hospitals Vary in How Quickly LST Is Stopped: In “Mortality associated with withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy for patients … Continue reading Study: Treatment Withdrawal & Death for Patients with Severe Brain Injury Vary By Hospital →

A little bit about the REAL Jack Kevorkian – In His Own Words

euthanasia, executions, experimentation, exploitation, hydrocephalus, Kevorkian, medical killings, obitiatry, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, spina bifida, susan sarandon

It seems that a fair number of people are surprised – even stunned – that me or any disabled person has anything at all bad to say about Kevorkian.  The fact is, as a spoof.com writer put it, most supporters of Jack Kevorkian are “f–king uninformed idiot(s)”. I think that’s a fair label for people … Continue reading A little bit about the REAL Jack Kevorkian – In His Own Words →

Belgium’s Bountiful Harvest – of Organs of Disabled People Killed Under Medical Supervision

Belgium, euthanasia, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog

From Michael Cook at Mercatornet, comes this newest development from Belgium.  Apparently, some doctors in that country are so excited about this that they put together a powerpoint presentation about the practice at a national conference: A group of Belgian doctors are harvesting “high quality” organs from patients who have been euthanased. This is not … Continue reading Belgium’s Bountiful Harvest – of Organs of Disabled People Killed Under Medical Supervision →

New Guidelines for Determining Brain Death – But Will Hospitals Actually Follow Them?

"end of life", brain death, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, policy, reality check, safeguards

From USA Today – “When is someone brain dead? Experts revise guidelines“: Determining brain death is a complex process that requires dozens of tests to make sure doctors come to the correct conclusion. With that goal in mind, the American Academy of Neurology has issued new guidelines — an update of guidelines first written 15 … Continue reading New Guidelines for Determining Brain Death – But Will Hospitals Actually Follow Them? →