Patient Dies

Patient Dies

That was the headline on a news wire service story in the print edition of yesterday's Seattle Post- Intelligencer. It is not the kind of headline that would guarantee I would keep reading but I am glad I took the time. Please join me and you'll see why.


"Denied transplant over pot use: A musician who was denied a liver transplant because he used medical marijuana with medical approval under Washington state law to ease the symptoms of advance hepatitis C died Thursday.

The death of Timothy Garon, 56, at Bailey-Boushay House, an intensive-care nursing center, was confirmed to the Associated Press by his lawyer and a spokeswoman for Virginia Mason Medical Center, which operates Bailey-Boushay.

Garon died a week after his doctor told him a University of Washington Medical Center committee had again denied him a spot on the liver transplant list because of his use of marijuana."


Okay, everybody still with me? The way that deal works, and this is the case in many other states as well, is that you are automatically denied a place on the organ transplant list if you have taken any non-prescription drugs in the past six months. Or taken the one prescription drug that your doctor gives you that is singled out above all others by the U.S. Government as being more dangerous than the rest.

Oh, but you are welcome to re-apply if you are "clean" for six months though, if you are still alive.

When I am running things (I'll get back to you with a date) there will be this new law on the books in my state:

No level of government gets to decide what a doctor can and can not prescribe to his patients.
   

Comments

[brother john]

I couldn't agree with you more about keeping gov't out of medical decision between doctors and patients. That's why I can't understand the irrational support "single payer" health care gets. If you think the gov't is too involved now wait until they hold all the purse strings.

[Diane]

I'm with you on this. Why can a doctor prescribe morphine but not pot? The politics at play here are mindboggling. . .

Can you also add no level of government gets to decide what medical procedures a doctor can discuss with his patient?

[Ana]

Bean, great blog post!!! Poor man!!!

[Kathryne]

Now, that's just crazy (and sad). People, committees especially, are pathetic with the rules they make up in order to deny people medical assistance.

[EditThis]

Amen, brother. I totally agree. And let me know when you'll be running things so I can prepare.

[Vic Rattler]

That new law of yours in asinine, there's nothing wrong with legally regulating doctors. However, it should be based on science rather than morality, and this case shows why.

[Rose]

@ brother john: I pay through the nose (and several other orifices, it seems) for private insurance, and I'm still subject to the whims of my HMO and their desire to make as much money off of me as possible. If my treatment options could theoretically be restricted either way, then I'd rather go with the scheme that doesn't cost me about a third of my net monthly income.

Bean, I'm with you. Just be aware that I'm planning to start running things in 2020.

[Liz]

So wait.....you won't put him on the list cuz he's easing the pain from his damaged liver by using pot......but if you healed him with a new liver he wouldn't use pot!!! WHERE IS THE LOGIC?! oh that's right we live in America...land of idiocracy!!

ps. funny movie....Idiocracy that is...with Luke Wilson....good for a complete waste of time!

[casey]

"No level of government gets to decide what a doctor can and can not prescribe to his patients."

When I am LOPE (Leader of Planet Earth) I will do the same thing.

[Heather]

"No level of government gets to decide what a doctor can and can not prescribe to his patients."

Government regulation is necessary but, as with all thing, with moderation and common sense.