New Rules For Liver Transplants Blocked By Judge Amid Controversy Over Fairness Of Guidelines
The transplant system has struggled for decades to find a fair way to distribute livers, kidney, hearts and other organs in the United States. The new policy offers livers to the sickest patients as far as 500 nautical miles from the donor. But critics say that will leave patients in certain places with about 20 percent fewer organs than the current policy.
The Washington Post:
Federal Judge Blocks New U.S. Policy For Distributing Livers For Transplant
A federal judge temporarily blocked a new policy for distributing scarce livers for transplant Wednesday, deciding that patients and hospitals in less-populated areas will suffer if the new rules remain in effect. The decision by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg in Atlanta came just a day after the policy was implemented. On Monday, she had declined to intervene but had asked the government to voluntarily delay it until the Supreme Court decided a case on relevant issues in coming weeks. (Bernstein, 5/15)
