Jackie Blue's Human Tissue (Organ Donation) Amendment Bill is currently before a select committee. One of the bill's authors, Andy Tookey of the Campaign for an Effective Organ Donor System, has set up an online petition where you can show your support. You can sign it here.
Is it really the best use of recourses and it is really proven. How much does one transplant cost and is it really as beneficial as the medical industry wants us to believe?
ReplyDeleteNZ and the rest of the world has people dying of the most simple things yet those in the richer areas can have a million dollars spent on them for a heart transplant that is unlikely to benefit them much.
Sure some things are probably worth it but mostly the money would be better spent trying to get stupid people to eat better, give up drugs and stop smoking or if they won't at least removing their children to a healthier environment so they don't become the next drain on society.
In the west we are being conned into believing that every person can and should live to be a 100 and that disability and illness can be eradicated. Not only a holy grail that doesn’t exist but is probably an undesirable aim.
For the most part a person’s health is their responsibility. People are starting to believe they can do what they want with their health and then expect other people to pay to ‘cure’ them.
Even is Chris Reeve was right (I have my doubts) and there will one day be treatment for spinal injury it, like most of what we have already, will only be available to a small percentage of the worlds population, the white and the rich.
Most NZérs can’t even afford to see a GP or a dentist, the money should go to building a genuine National Health Service, that provides the basics to everyone.
As for cost benefits,one organ donor saves the government around 1 million dollars, by getting people off dialysis etc, not to mention that those people will have full health restored and probably go back to being taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteYes money on education is the key (long term) My daughter has a liver disease that will requires a transplant.
I have told her to eat better, and to stop smoking and to stop taking drugs so that she won't "become the next drain on society."
But being only 4 years old I don't think she quite understands that argument yet...
Maybe I should just do away with her now so that she won't be a drain on the money that could be earmarked for the real deservers of the money? Maybe they could use the money to do more 'transgender re-alignment operations' on prisoners?
In many parts of the world children are lucky to live to be 4, not because they have the bad luck to have a serious disease but because they don't get to eat very often.
ReplyDeleteEven in NZ for many children basic health care is a luxury. Teeth are also a luxury it seems. Many peoples quality of life could be improved immediately and easily for a few dollars. Whether an expensive liver transplant, requiring a life time of intervention, will give someone a long-term good quality of life I don’t know, I simply ask the question.
I do know however that hip replacements, better standards of living, basic dental care would improve long term quality of life for many but many are unlikely to ever receive the intervention they need. Resources will always be limited and there will always have to be consideration to where they can be best used.
I have not had a child die but know a surprising number who have, it is part of life. In many countries it’s a regular part of life in others less so. We all think we, and our families, are the centre of the universe, realty is we are not.
Reality is, not everyone will live a long and healthy life, but the other reality is many more could if resources were spread more effectively.
From my experience (4 years of dealing with the grey suits in Health.)it is not about "if resources were spread more effectively." It is more about trying to spread out death more equally.
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