Comments on: Jobs' Liver Transplant Raises Questions

Apple CEO Got A Needed Cancer Treatment; But Did He Have An Advantage Over Other Organ Recipients?

[Imadinnerjacket]

Hear Yee, Hear Yee.. Hear yee....

Make it be known from this day forward that everybody is an organ donor PERIOD.. Instead of having a pink dot that says you are, you must have one that says you are NOT. So, that makes everyone an automatic donor. There would be plenty of organs for everyone then, And this debate of who should go first would simply be NEXT, instead. Write your congress critters, and tell them, you think everyone should be an automatic organ donor unless they stipulate otherwise!!!!!!!!!

[rhs648]

One problem. Many people do not want to be organ donors. Why should a person have to stipulate that he or she doesn't want to be an organ donor. It makes much more sense that those who want to donate organs can stipulate that they will be organ donors. Our society already imposes too many rules on people. Life is complicated enough without forcing people to opt out of things like donating organs. And I haven't even talked about religious prohibitions to donating organs that are part of some religious beliefs.

[rhs648]

This is a great exemple of rationing health care. There are a limited number of livers available for transplanting. Someone makes a decision about who receives a liver transplant. Under universal health care, limited resources will dictate who gets care. Will a 75-year-old person be told that he is too old for open heart surgery or expensive cancer treatments? Will the parents of an infant be told that a life saving procedure is too expensive? If health care is controlled by the government, the government will have the power to determine what type of health care we receive. Years ago I met a person from the Ukraine. His goverment insurance paid for dental procedures such as extractions and fillings. However, novacaine was not covered. If he wanted novacaine, he had to pay for it himself. If Steve Jobs had a liver transplant quickly and ahead of other people, it is because he has the resources to pay for it. That is how we choose vacations, automobiles, and homes. It is based on our resources.

[iamafractal]

With all the stories about scientists growing organs with the patients' own cells, it is unfortunate that Mr. Jobs has to rely on outdated organ transplant technology where he has to use somebody a liver belonging to somebody else.

[tincheemi]

Once again CBS is taking the opportunity to use a high profile figure as a way to promote Obama's socialist agenda of "equal" health care for everyone. Undemocratic? This is nothing to do with democracy. It should not be a political issue. And about your statement "Selling organs by the poor" are you sure that this is the case with Mr. Jobs liver transplant? And what if they (the poor) want to profit with the organs? Whould that be acceptable then?

[lkrupp]

We know absolutely nothing about what happened or whether Mr. Jobs even had a liver transplant. But this thread was politicized immediately and has now degenerated into the usual name calling by the usual socialist and capitalist protagonists. Remember when Mickey Mantel got a liver transplant years ago? Same argument ensued, same name calling, same outraged ideologues spouting their venom. Some things never change. It's embarrassing to be an American citizen these days.

[wogerwabbit]

Did He Have An Advantage Over Other Organ Recipients?

Of course he did, he's rich and can easily afford the kind of health care the rest of us can't... kinda like the health care we provide our members of congress... through our taxes. Only the rich and pampered get to live the quality of life endowed in our Constitution, the rest of us live off their scraps. The haves and the have nots... Wall Street vs. Main Street... the republican focus on ME rather than WE, which is sealing their doom in American politics because WE rule in the end with our votes. The majority rules and they should get used to it. Isn't that what America's all about?

[drivelphobe]

chris butler..

so.....accept it or do something about it. Jobs is a proven leader and exhibits unique abilities to achieve. It's shallow of you to demean him.

Anyway, back to the subject. Access to the very best, including bypassing the line, is part of the American dream. It goes on everywhere, everyday and rightfully so. Are you suggesting that an incarcerated illegal alien with a need for a heart transplant should even be on a list? Do you believe that some plumber, which you brought up, earning $75,000 per year is entitled to the same benefits, goods, services, access as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, George Bush, etc. , etc.? We all have our opinions, but to the victor go the spoils. Go to Vegas and see how the high rollers and celebrities bypass the lines. Go to a hospital and see how the large donors and city leaders get preferred parking, private rooms and immediate care while others struggle for parking and wait for hours in their doctors' offices or emergency rooms. It is the way it is.

Have a nice week.

[cbsblogger]

Wealth and fame should not offer special access and privilege to the organ donor system. Personally I'm going to followup on this and I may decide to rescind my status as a potential organ donor depending upon the answers that are provided. Steve Jobs should be placed in queue just like any other American.

[drivelphobe]

Chris Butler..

You miss my point. Steve Jobs IS worth more, financially, which is what we are discussing, than most Americans. Our system makes many decisions based on the " human life value concept", such as legal settlements, job offers and compensation, what school you can go to, political appointments, who you marry, with whom you associate, and on and on.

I'm not saying there aren't millions of nice people who are worth everything emotionally to their friends and/or family. I'm saying that wealth, position and connections provide perks. That is the system and I support it. The indigent still get treated very well in this country, but they don't eat dinner at expensive steak houses.

You sound bitter and jealous. Be happy with your lot in life. You made the decisions to get where you are so

[Chris_Butler]

I am a perfectly happy person because I know the difference between right and wrong. Mother Theresa of Calcutta has always been penniless and yet she commands more respect than Steve Jobs ever will. That's where you argument is flawed.

If you knew the truth about how American Corporations get subsidised by politicians you would learn the difference between right and wrong.

Steve Jobs is unemployable.

[cbsblogger]

This needs publicly scrutinized because the donor system is dependent upon donors who expect fairness in selection and not preference because of wealth or name. Steve Jobs is worth no more, maybe less than any salt of the earth American wage earner.

[incog-nito]

Yeah sure. This worked great in Middle Ages, where royals and nobles have all the rights, money, and power, and everybody else got the shaft. If it's good enough for Medieval times, it's good enough for now, right?

[hamiltongrad]

At this time we should all be praying for his recovery, and wishing him and his family well.



..... If anything this story points out how precious good health is , above virtually everything.

[cbsblogger]

Wealth and fame should not offer special access and privilege to the organ donor system. Personally I'm going to followup on this and I may decide to rescind my status as a potential organ donor depending upon the answers that are provided. Steve Jobs should be placed in queue just like any other American.

[Chris_Butler]

drivelphobe:

If I need a plumber to fix my drains then that makes them worth more than Steve Jobs. I won't call Steve Jobs for a blocked drain.

Just because Steve Jobs has more money does not make him worth more. Its really a matter of perspective.

Steve Jobs is actually a leech on some very creative people at Apple and that's all. He did nothing with Next Corporation or software and could only go back to Apple because Apple had extremely poor management, which made him look good.

[OS11]

the creation of something called the "world wide web" on an NeXT machine in 1980 was nothing? good lord, that was one of the top inventions of the last 600 years... trust me, you wouldn't be reading this if it wasn't for steve jobs.

[everet3]

I found this to be insulting, simply because Jobs gets a liver in such a short time. Yet I have been on UNOS's waiting list for 7 years and then was removed from that list by the head transplant Dr. because I complained that the drugs they were giving me took away my hearing.
And Dr LaPook is wrong, you can jump ahead of the line. Look at a famous country singer that came into our transplant clinic where a bunch of us had been waiting years to get a transplant and in less time than it took for us to get examined and on the waiting list he has a new liver and is walking out the door.
I was sent an email telling me my MELD score ( that's where they take your blood and test it to see how your liver is doing, and if you are taking any drugs that are not prescribed, or if you are drinking.)was doing so good that they were moving my oppointments from once every 3 months to once every 7 months ( I still have the email ) and at the same time there writing me a letter telling me they were removing me from their waiting list because I was missing to many appointments and running around looking for drugs to just get high on. See the lie they are telling, if I was doing drugs it would show in my MELD tests. and they moved my appointments from 3 to 7 months I have the letters. I just wish I could find a lawyer here in San Antonio, TX that wasn't affraid to take them on. But evey one I contact says that the University is the bread and butter of this town.

[stevenga777]

So Steve Jobs is worth more than other humans...ie some humans are worth more than others??? In that case lets just take livers from healthy Jews, or Blacks, or Latinos, mentally ill people. Maybe these less worh people are using too much of our Earths resources. So just how do you define the people who are worth less. Lets define the people with Gold teeth as worth less...the gold can help defray the costs...have your plyers out and at the ready.

[excoachken]

It is unfair and undemocratic. His wealth should have no impact upon his position on any waiting list. Being wealthy does not make him a better person than anybody else. This is a slippery slope that leads to selling of organs by the poor to provide basic needs for their families. Anybody can become wealthy if they are selfish enough, but the true measurement of a civilization is how it treats the most unfortunate members. As we strive to be a better country, we should strive to be as fair as possible and that means equal access to all medical care.

[tincheemi]

Once again CBS is taking the opportunity to use a high profile figure as a way to promote Obama's socialist agenda of "equal" health care for everyone. Undemocratic? This is nothing to do with democracy. It should not be a political issue. And about your statement "Selling organs by the poor" are you sure that this is the case with Mr. Jobs liver transplant? And what if they (the poor) want to profit with the organs? Whould that be acceptable then?

[drivelphobe]

Like any good or service, wealth and connections provide access. There is nothing wrong with this. Steve Jobs is clearly worth more than most people and therefore should be ahead in the line over those who are worth less. The human life value concept applies here and is a vivid reminder of why we strive to achieve. The best is available to those who can afford it. Like it or not, that is the system and it has worked for as long as humans have been around. I have no problem with it. Only whiners are against a perfectly legitimate system. I hope for the best for Mr. Jobs.

[incog-nito]

Yeah sure. This worked great in Middle Ages, where royals and nobles have all the rights, money, and power, and everybody else got the shaft. If it's good enough for Medieval times, it's good enough for now, right?

[lizannrand]

I don't think Steve Jobs is worth more than most people (in life value) and should be ahead in the line over others. I believe because he has more money to offer than most people and because of that, he is pushed to the head of line is a why he was able to get what he needed before others. This doesn't mean other peoples lives are of less value. That is for no one but God to judge. It isn't a legitimate system for people with money to buy their way to the top. Truly legitimate would be for people who need it the most get it first. I too hope Steve Jobs a good recovery and best wishes. It isn't his fault he has the means.

[whatsup49]

just because jobs has money does not make him "worth more than most people." in my eyes, all people, regardless of wealth, skin color, religion, etc., are equal and deserve to be treated as such. i suppose i'm looking through rose colored glasses, because we all know that money does buy one the chance to jump to the head of the line. i once had a doctor who was in the middle of examining me when his nurse buzzed in and told him a certain wealthy lawyer in our town (and one of his patients as well) had come in as a "walk-in patient." rather than finishing his examination with me, he told his nurse to show mr. so-in-so to an exam room right away. he was with this wealthy man for about 30 minutes, came back into my exam room, handed me a script and sent me home. luckily for me, i looked at the script before i got it filled, it was for something i'm allergic to. i called the doc back and, when he came on the line, i explained to him in no uncertain terms, why i would be filing a complaint against him. just because this scummy lawyer has money, this doc deemed him more important than me. i don't and won't allow that to happen again.

[DefendLiberty]

So a rich person's life is more valuable than the life of a middle-class child? You are one SICK PUPPY. We can only hope that someone you love never needs medical care they cannot afford. Karma is a b*tch.