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David D. Douglas, MD

Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:1885-1886.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

SHOULD ORGAN transplantation be made available to everyone? Dr Neuberger has argued against it, specifically for liver transplantation, and proposed rationing as a possible solution to the problem of too few available organs for patients who need them. This solution, while "rational," is problematic in the United States because it flies in the face of current public opinion¹ and also falls afoul of the disparity of opinion between the general public and physicians about who should be eligible for transplantation.^2-5

I disagree with Dr Neuberger's opinion that an increase in organ donation rates would have only a modest effect on this issue, and I would argue that an increase in organ donation rates is an important component of any solution. It should be noted that Spain over a 10-year period increased the organ donation rate in their country from a low of 14 donors per million . . . [Full Text of this Article]