China
October-5th-2004, 02:58 PM
This reminds me of that scene in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (see below).
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/10/05/organ.death.ap/index.html
Coroner: Removing man's organs was homicide
Tuesday, October 5, 2004 Posted: 8:33 AM EDT (1233 GMT)
DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- A western Colorado coroner said Monday that two hospitals allowed vital organs to be removed from a man before they had proven he was brain dead, and he declared the death a homicide.
The cause of William Rardin's death was "removal of his internal organs by an organ recovery team," Montrose County Coroner Mark Young said. He said he did not believe the case should be a criminal matter, but that it "should lead to a clarification of what the accepted standard is."
Young said Montrose Memorial Hospital in Montrose and St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction did not follow "accepted medical standards" or meet state guidelines in determining that 31-year-old William Rardin was brain dead after he shot himself last month.
Rardin's heart, liver, pancreas and two kidneys were transplanted into waiting patients.
Officials with St. Mary's and the organization that coordinates organ donation in Colorado and Wyoming insisted the surgeons followed rules and did nothing wrong.
"We have never, ever had anything like this presented to us before," said Sue Dunn, vice president of organ procurement operations for the Denver-based Donor Alliance. "We talked to the family the day of the donation. ... This gentleman was on the donor registry. We've heard nothing from them regarding this."
Attempts to locate Rardin's family were unsuccessful and someone who answered the phone at the Montrose hospital said no one was available to comment.
Young said each hospital performed a test that did not prove Rardin was dead, and that more tests should have been done. He would not discuss details of the tests.
Rardin was brought to Montrose Memorial on September 26 and declared brain dead, Young said. He was then taken by helicopter to St. Mary's, where he was again declared brain dead and surgeons removed his organs.
Dan Prinster, a vice president at St. Mary's, said the hospital was willing to have a third party evaluate how Rardin's case was handled to prove everything was done correctly.
Young said state lawmakers should take up the issue.
"I think it (the organ donation) was done in good faith. ... But the standard has me thinking about taking the organ donation card off my license," Young said. "I don't mind donating organs if I'm dead, but I want to be dead first."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MEANING OF LIFE
-------------------
PART V
LIVE ORGAN TRANSPLANTS
[A photo of the Emperor Haile Selassie hangs on the wall of a suburban house. Upstairs 'Hava Nagila' is being played on a lone violin. The door bell rings.]
Mr Bloke: Don't worry dear, I'll get it!
[He opens the door.]
Mr Bloke: Yes!
First Man: Hello, er can we have your liver...?
Mr Bloke: My what?
First Man: Your liver... it's a large glandular organ in your abdomen... you know it's a reddish-brown and it's sort of -
Mr Bloke: Yes, I know what it is, but I'm using it.
Second Man: Come on sir... don't muck us about.
[They move in.]
Mr Bloke: Hey!
[They shut the door behind him.]
[The first man makes a grab at his wallet and finds a card in it.]
First Man: Hallo! What's this then...?
Mr Bloke: A liver donor's card.
First Man: Need we say more?
Second Man: No!
Mr Bloke: Look, I can't give it to you now. It says 'In The Event of Death'...
First Man: No-one who has ever had their liver taken out by us has survived
[The second man is rummaging around in a bag of clanking tools.]
Second Man: Just lie there, sir. it won't take a minute.
[They throw him onto the dining room table and, without any more ceremony, start to cut him open. A rather severe lady appears at the door.]
Mrs Bloke: 'Ere, what's going on?
First man: He's donating his liver, madam...
Mr Bloke: Aarrgh... oh!... aaargh ow! Ow!
Mrs Bloke: Is this because he took out one of those silly cards?
First Man: That's right, madam.
Mr Bloke: Ow! Oooh! Oohh! Oh... oh... God... aargh aargh...
Mrs Bloke: Typical of him. He goes down to the public library -sees a few signs up... comes home all full of good intentions.He gives blood he does cold research all that sort of thing.
Mr Bloke: Aaaagh... oh... aaarghh!
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/10/05/organ.death.ap/index.html
Coroner: Removing man's organs was homicide
Tuesday, October 5, 2004 Posted: 8:33 AM EDT (1233 GMT)
DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- A western Colorado coroner said Monday that two hospitals allowed vital organs to be removed from a man before they had proven he was brain dead, and he declared the death a homicide.
The cause of William Rardin's death was "removal of his internal organs by an organ recovery team," Montrose County Coroner Mark Young said. He said he did not believe the case should be a criminal matter, but that it "should lead to a clarification of what the accepted standard is."
Young said Montrose Memorial Hospital in Montrose and St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction did not follow "accepted medical standards" or meet state guidelines in determining that 31-year-old William Rardin was brain dead after he shot himself last month.
Rardin's heart, liver, pancreas and two kidneys were transplanted into waiting patients.
Officials with St. Mary's and the organization that coordinates organ donation in Colorado and Wyoming insisted the surgeons followed rules and did nothing wrong.
"We have never, ever had anything like this presented to us before," said Sue Dunn, vice president of organ procurement operations for the Denver-based Donor Alliance. "We talked to the family the day of the donation. ... This gentleman was on the donor registry. We've heard nothing from them regarding this."
Attempts to locate Rardin's family were unsuccessful and someone who answered the phone at the Montrose hospital said no one was available to comment.
Young said each hospital performed a test that did not prove Rardin was dead, and that more tests should have been done. He would not discuss details of the tests.
Rardin was brought to Montrose Memorial on September 26 and declared brain dead, Young said. He was then taken by helicopter to St. Mary's, where he was again declared brain dead and surgeons removed his organs.
Dan Prinster, a vice president at St. Mary's, said the hospital was willing to have a third party evaluate how Rardin's case was handled to prove everything was done correctly.
Young said state lawmakers should take up the issue.
"I think it (the organ donation) was done in good faith. ... But the standard has me thinking about taking the organ donation card off my license," Young said. "I don't mind donating organs if I'm dead, but I want to be dead first."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MEANING OF LIFE
-------------------
PART V
LIVE ORGAN TRANSPLANTS
[A photo of the Emperor Haile Selassie hangs on the wall of a suburban house. Upstairs 'Hava Nagila' is being played on a lone violin. The door bell rings.]
Mr Bloke: Don't worry dear, I'll get it!
[He opens the door.]
Mr Bloke: Yes!
First Man: Hello, er can we have your liver...?
Mr Bloke: My what?
First Man: Your liver... it's a large glandular organ in your abdomen... you know it's a reddish-brown and it's sort of -
Mr Bloke: Yes, I know what it is, but I'm using it.
Second Man: Come on sir... don't muck us about.
[They move in.]
Mr Bloke: Hey!
[They shut the door behind him.]
[The first man makes a grab at his wallet and finds a card in it.]
First Man: Hallo! What's this then...?
Mr Bloke: A liver donor's card.
First Man: Need we say more?
Second Man: No!
Mr Bloke: Look, I can't give it to you now. It says 'In The Event of Death'...
First Man: No-one who has ever had their liver taken out by us has survived
[The second man is rummaging around in a bag of clanking tools.]
Second Man: Just lie there, sir. it won't take a minute.
[They throw him onto the dining room table and, without any more ceremony, start to cut him open. A rather severe lady appears at the door.]
Mrs Bloke: 'Ere, what's going on?
First man: He's donating his liver, madam...
Mr Bloke: Aarrgh... oh!... aaargh ow! Ow!
Mrs Bloke: Is this because he took out one of those silly cards?
First Man: That's right, madam.
Mr Bloke: Ow! Oooh! Oohh! Oh... oh... God... aargh aargh...
Mrs Bloke: Typical of him. He goes down to the public library -sees a few signs up... comes home all full of good intentions.He gives blood he does cold research all that sort of thing.
Mr Bloke: Aaaagh... oh... aaarghh!