1 of 4 UK Liver Transplants Go to Alcoholics

Situation sparks fury among families of victims who died waiting for transplant

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 15, 2009 9:22 AM CST

(Newser) – Nearly one quarter of those receiving liver transplants in the UK are heavy drinkers, prompting a fiery debate over the allocation of organs to alcoholics, the Guardian reports. In the past decade, as waiting lists have lengthened, transplants for heavy drinkers have spiked 60%—a trend the mother of one deceased donor called “offensive, terrible, and unfair.”

Surgeons can refuse transplants to patients who don’t exhibit a genuine intention to stop drinking post-operation. “If someone won't promise, you could refuse them the transplant on clinical rather than ethical grounds,” explained one doctor. In Britain, twice as many people are dying of alcohol abuse as 15 years ago, leading one official to suggest increasing the price of alcohol.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

Tim Garon lies in his hospital bed as his girlfriend, Leisa Bueno, sits with him while they wait to hear if he will be put on a transplant list to receive a new liver in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A British official warned "the death toll from alcohol remains unacceptably high," noting that twice as many people are dying from alcohol as 15 years ago. (Shutter Stock)

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If two people want a liver, and both have the right tissue match, and one is an alcoholic and one isn't, there's no contest—you take the one who's not an alcoholic. They are more entitled. - Eunice Booker, mother of deceased
organ donor

Recent studies have proven that the cheaper alcohol is, the more we all drink. None of us wants to pay more for our alcohol, but with an alcohol crisis on our hands we have to look again at raising the price of the cheapest alcohol. - Don Foster, MP

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1 of 4 UK Liver Transplants Go to Alcoholics