Is there a rule/law that will deny George Best a transplant if he needs one?

[bluedolphin]

What is his postion now should he need another transplant ...from a legal point of view ....do the doctors have a legal standpoint to deny him?

[woofgang]

No, they should consider clinical need and the likelihood of a successful outcome to the procedure

[Greedyfly]

Hopefully there will be a law!. He did not deserve the first one and does not deserve the second - its his fault now let him sort it out!

[Kit]

Hmm, Woofgang, that's an interesting phrase: "likelihood of a successful outcome." I would have thought that a successful outcome would be taking care of the his new liver, not ruining it like he did with the first one. I don't think it would come to a second transplant - if I was him I wouldn't dare ask for one.

[brawburd]

.... but whatever your viewpoint, it certainly raises interesting and important questions about ethics and morals?

[woofgang]

Having just re read my post, I see that it could be taken 2 ways. That is not my opinion, its a factual statement that there is no rule or law preventing second transplants where the first one has failed due to the recipents behaviour

[Anim8]

What's all this 'recipent's behaviour' malarkey? Alcoholism is a disease and addiction; poor man needs all the help he can get and if the medics can't address his mental issues then it's theirfault; maybe he should sue.

[woofgang]

sorry, another misunderstanding.The word behaviour does not imply choice. Its a behaviour to yell ouch when you hit your thumb with a hammer : its also a behaviour to abuse alcohol or any other substance. Both behaviours can be modified, although its much much much harder to modify a substance abuse behaviour than it is to stop yelling ouch.....finally a joke. How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb? Only one but the lightbulb has to want to change.

[robber1]

I may well be wrong here, but I think that doctors can deny treatment. If a person is obese or a smoker and they require a certain operation, they can deny treatment if they feel that the patient is not helping themselves. With Mr Best, he promised to stop drinking if they gave him a transplant. He did stop for a period of time. If he wanted another transplant, his actions would count against him.

[xyzzy@bok]

not entirely true, Woofgang; i know someone (me, no.) who quit alcohol abuse but he can't quit saying Ouch! when he stubs his toe, says worse than that most times, shocking language, could it be Tourettes related?

[woofgang]

Robber 1, yes you are, the reason for the refusal to treat is because the obesity or smoking mean that the risk of the treatment is too great, usually something to do with surviving the anaesthetic NOT because they feel that the patient isn't helping him or herself. His actions might well count against him because of a likely poor outcome due to physical or psychological frailty.

[woofgang]

I bet your friend could stop if he had a really really good reason :-))

[robber1]

Mr Best was refused at first, so I just assumed it was because of what I said earlier. However, if I am wrong then I stand corrected.