Lawmakers Urge Sebelius To Let Dying Child Have Shot at Lung Transplant

Fox News ^

[drewh]

House Republicans on Tuesday pressed the country’s top health official to cut through the government red tape in order to let a dying child have a chance at getting a lung transplant, as Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius continued to argue that the situation is "difficult." Sebelius, ultimately, did not say what the government would do in the high-profile case of 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan, who is dying from cystic fibrosis but cannot get an adult lung until they are offered first to adult patients.

Georgia Republican Rep. Tom Price, a doctor, told Sebelius that he understands the federal policy and appreciates her sympathy about the situation. But, he said, she can save the child’s life by “signing a paper.” Price cut off Sebelius during a Republican-led House committee hearing on the department’s 2014 budget proposal, as she was talking about how she personally talked to Sarah’s mother.

Price, said the child could die during the review process, considering it includes a lengthy public-comment period. “I’m begging you,” Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., said. “Sarah has three to five weeks to live.” Pediatric lungs are rare, and the Murnaghan family thought their daughter would have a shot at a transplant if she made a list of adults. Sebelius repeated that surgeons and transplant doctors say the probability of a successful transplant is low when a child as young as Sara receives an adult lung. However, Barletta and others say Sarah’s doctors think the transplant could be successful.

Republicans at the hearing also got support for Pennsylvania Rep. Patrick Meehan, a former U.S. attorney, who said his review of federal policy shows Sebelius could a make the exception “without upsetting precedent or violating consistency of allocation policy.” He also suggested the child is a victim of age discrimination

[Valpal1]

The government did not give this child CF. That’s just the luck of the draw in life.

The federal government is in charge of this because trafficking in human organs across state lines is interstate commerce.

Would you prefer unregulated interstate commerce in human organs???

They sensibly created a medical board to establish medical criteria for parceling out precious organs.

There are no other “legal avenues” to obtain a transplant. The parents choice to pursue a publicized and politicized in circumventing the legal path based on the established criteria is understandable, but unethical and unfair to everyone else.

Prayer is really the only option and you’re basically praying that some other child die so this one can have their lungs.

There is no denying the tragedy in this story, but I believe the system has been set up properly and should not be interfered with by congress or Sebelius.

I have 4 children and and 25 nieces and nephews, one of whom needs a full heart/lung transplant.

[BfloGuy]

They've won.

Now, we go begging to the federal government for our health care problems.

[Jeff Head]

Please. Stop it with the strawman accusations.

I am not praying another child dies. Those are your words. I am praying that this child lives. There is a huge difference.

I do not believe the federal government sets up anything very sensibly. If they provide the proper amount of macro oversight, and allow them to do the job of defending the country, the US Military (all of whom swear to uphold the copnstitution) may be the best opportunity to beat that rule.

But, you do as you please and advocate as you will. I pray that your own niece or nephew will get their transplant as well. And that you will do whatever you can legally to effect that for the positive. I pray your own children never have to be faced with such a crisis...but if they are, I pray that you will be able to stand and do whatever you can for them as well.

My five kids are all grown now, but we have nine grandchildren to date and would and will do anything legally and with our faith to help them in such circumstances. It is what we do.

That is what these people are doing.

[Bubba_Leroy]

While we can agree to differ on the feasibility of the lung transplant, you're dead on with the Obamacare scenario.

I freely admit that I have no idea whether a lung transplant is feasible or not. But if I ever need any organ transplant, I want my doctor to be able to decide if it is feasible and not some bureaucrat working for the federal Department of Obamacare.