Absolutely no medical rationing

[Forever_frost]

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius rebuffed an appeal from Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., on behalf of a girl who needs a lung transplant but can't get one because of a federal regulation that prevents her from qualifying for a transplant.

“Please, suspend the rules until we look at this policy,” Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., asked Sebelius during a House hearing Tuesday on behalf of Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year-old girl who needs a lung transplant. She can’t qualify for an adult lung transplant until the age of 12, according to federal regulations, but Sebelius has the authority to waive that rule on her behalf. The pediatric lungs for which she qualifies aren’t available.

“I would suggest, sir, that, again, this is an incredibly agonizing situation where someone lives and someone dies,” Sebelius replied. “The medical evidence and the transplant doctors who are making the rule — and have had the rule in place since 2005 making a delineation between pediatric and adult lungs, because lungs are different than other organs — that it’s based on the survivability [chances].”

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Barletta countered that medical professionals think Murneghan could survive an adult lung transplant. During the exchange, he also said that the girl has three to five weeks to live.

Sebelius reminded Barletta that 40 people in Pennsylvania are on the “highest acuity list” for lung transplants.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/sebelius-wont-waive-regulation-for-girl-with-five-weeks-to-live-someone-lives-and-someone-dies/article/2531097

[KBScobravert]

Kathleen sounds like a real piece of shit. Here comes the death panels. If that were my daughter.....well, see the killdozer thread.

[Forever_frost]

I agree with you. One way or the other, she'd have lungs. I don't care if I had to get it from the person who denied me.

[turboford]

What a piece of shit. I hope that bitch dies a slow painful death. Fucking Cunt.

[sc281]

Kathleen sounds like a real piece of shit. Here comes the death panels. If that were my daughter.....well, see the killdozer thread.

John Q up in this piece!!!

[talisman]

Need more information. As someone who has been through this process, there are a hundred variables that that article doesn't even begin to address which could sway my opinion either way.

[Geor!]

So THAT'S how you got your penis!

[Forever_frost]

Need more information. As someone who has been through this process, there are a hundred variables that that article doesn't even begin to address which could sway my opinion either way.

Seems the only variable is she is 2 years below the arbitrary line.

[talisman]

Seems the only variable is she is 2 years below the arbitrary line.

One of those big variables is just how "arbitrary" it is. It would be irresponsible of them to give it to her if there is a high chance of failure when it could save another persons life.

[BP]

Lung transplants are a major deal (obviously), my oldest brother had both replaced a couple of years ago. We are talking well over a million dollars for the surgery and recovery plus $10k a month in maintenance medications. It's not a matter of just slapping in a set of lungs and going on about your life. Then you have a specific diet you have to follow, the reactions to all the drugs, pretty much guaranteed death if you catch a cold, extreme allergic reactions plus anything you might catch from the donor. As for the donors they need to be nearly the same size and to have had the same illnesses you have, things like mono and chicken pox for example. Otherwise your body will either get infected by what they had or your lungs will get infected, in both cases the patient will probably die. Making it all a total wasted effort and preventing the next person in line from having a chance.

Even if everything goes perfect barely half of the cases live an additional 5 years and after 3 most people have problems again. It is a miraculous surgery and it drastically improves the quality of life for most recipients but you'll never be normal again.

In my brother's case he died 3 different times and was on life support for nearly a month. He was 100% disabled and on oxygen for at least 6 months prior. He was actually sent home to die comfortably with a home nurse. Thankfully though during his first emergency they took him to a different hospital (North Hills) and they immediately worked him up for a transplant, 3 days later he was at UTSW with a new set of lungs.

That little girl's illness is very sad but it's disgusting to use it for politics. I understand the passion and the family will do whatever it takes to save her but there is so much more involved than just having one person waive a requirement.

[talisman]

Great post, Brandy. Hope he is still doing well. In August it will be 9 years for my sister and I.

[jluv]

One of those big variables is just how "arbitrary" it is. It would be irresponsible of them to give it to her if there is a high chance of failure when it could save another persons life.

Exactly. It's also mentioned that there are 40 other urgent patients who need those lungs, too. You can't please all the people all the time. In this case, some are going to die. Tragic, but why should they bend the rules and gamble even more than usual while telling another person on the list that they are SOL, even if the lungs would fit them better?

From first glance, this seems like emotion fueling political opinion.

[DallasSleeper]

My only problem with this is, this little girl has been #1 on the kids list for a while now and if she were allowed to be on the adult list she would also be #1 there. To me this means she is THE person in this country in the most need of a lung transplant.

[talisman]

My only problem with this is, this little girl has been #1 on the kids list for a while now and if she were allowed to be on the adult list she would also be #1 there. To me this means she is THE person in this country in the most need of a lung transplant.

There is obviously a medical reason behind the separate lists. Hell, until BP explained it, I didn't even know it was so much more complicated than a kidney transplant, though now that I've put some thought into it, it makes perfect sense.

It's a kid, so obviously it is going to be emotional. Just like everyone wanting to ban guns after what happened in Connecticut. No one wants to see a child hurt or die, I find it hard to believe that this politician is simply trying to be callous. Unfortunately, the childs life isn't the only one on the line, not even getting into the astronomical costs, risks, and time investment that goes into an organ transplant.

Sorry, but you guys are going to have a hard time painting this woman as some sort of comic book villain to me.

[Shorty]

My only problem with this is, this little girl has been #1 on the kids list for a while now and if she were allowed to be on the adult list she would also be #1 there. To me this means she is THE person in this country in the most need of a lung transplant.

I'm not familiar with lungs but I highly doubt the list is for the whole country. Organ viability is limited by time so there are different lists broken down geographically. Baylor Dallas and Baylor Fort Worth actually pull from different "zones" for livers. Once an organ is indentified for transplant it has to be transported to the facility where they are doing the transplant and tested for viability, disease, etc. The recipient also has to make it to the hospital and be evaluated prior to the transplant. They will usually have a back up recipient waiting at the hospital in case the #1 cannot receive the organ.

The ranking of patients on the lists also has some politics involved but that's another story.

<--- Not a doctor (MD or Google)