Hospital denies woman’s kidney transplant due to medical marijuana use

23536

23536

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For the second time in less than a year, one of the largest hospitals in Los Angeles has removed a patient from an organ transplant list due to medical marijuana use, Raw Story has learned.

Toni Trujillo (pictured left), 40, came to California in 2010 to seek out specialized treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, having contracted a rare disorder in her youth that causes inflammation of the kidneys. She underwent her first transplant in 1991, and has been receiving regular dialysis treatments since 2007 in anticipation of a second.

Trujillo, however, was removed from that list in April after hospital staff learned that she’d been legally using medical marijuana since August 2010 at the recommendation of an independent doctor. She’s now participating in a six month battery of weekly substance abuse counseling sessions and random drug tests. If Trujillo stays clean for that whole time, she’ll be eligible to be re-added to the list — at the very bottom.

Trujillo said that doctors told her she was removed from the list because inhaling marijuana smoke increases the risk of an infection caused by aspergillosis, a genus of common molds frequently seen growing on plants, trees and food.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/06/...dney-transplant-due-to-medical-marijuana-use/
 
this isn't the only hospital that has done this.

the fact that dozens (maybe more) of cannabis smokers have literally *let themselves die* speaks volumes about whether cannabis makes you peaceful or violent.

as cannabis users (medical or otherwise) we are being systematically and institutionally denied freedom, healthcare services, and life itself.

we are the new niggers.
 
While this made me mad at first, now I think it is necessary to help change people's minds.
I believe that many of the people who read this will get mad, and see the society-wide policy against cannabis as the problem. Because we are so close to turning the tide, and laws may change soon, this is a good thing.

qwe said:
as cannabis users (medical or otherwise) we are being systematically and institutionally denied freedom, healthcare services, and life itself.

we are the new niggers.
Click to expand...

Systematically being denied freedom - no doubt.

But minority cannabis users are the real, extra special victims of this whole thing, as they are arrested at much higher rates.
"Double niggers"?
 
23536 said:
Trujillo said that doctors told her she was removed from the list because inhaling marijuana smoke increases the risk of an infection caused by aspergillosis, a genus of common molds frequently seen growing on plants, trees and food.
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The thing to do then is rid her of this mold. If that's possible.

I wonder how much medical validity this has. After a transplant, the patient is bombarded with immune suppressants, so any bug they have inside them is prone to kick into high gear and threaten their life. Essentially what they're saying is that they don't trust her ability to survive the transplant.

At least, that's what they're saying. It begs two questions:

1) is it honest?
2) is it reasonable?

Whatever the case, it's a very interesting situation. I hope to read a medical analysis of it at some point.
 
23536 said:
The thing to do then is rid her of this mold. If that's possible.

I wonder how much medical validity this has. After a transplant, the patient is bombarded with immune suppressants, so any bug they have inside them is prone to kick into high gear and threaten their life. Essentially what they're saying is that they don't trust her ability to survive the transplant.

At least, that's what they're saying. It begs two questions:

1) is it honest?
2) is it reasonable?

Whatever the case, it's a very interesting situation. I hope to read a medical analysis of it at some point.
Click to expand...

I bet they're going to try and argue using some skewed study about marijuana modulating or suppressing the immune system..
 
Ok, everyone made a huge deal about that liver transplant that got denied a transplant in washington, so I will say this:

as the son of someone who received a liver transplant, that shit is SERIOUS BUSINESS> There is a GIANT LIST of rules and things you must follow and agree to. ONE OF THEM IS TO NOT USE ILLICIT AND INTOXICATING SUBSTANCES. Whether it be alcohol, marijuana, heroin, whatever, you AGREE (willingly I might add) that you will not engage in such behavior up until (and supposed to be afterwards) your transplant.

No one forces your hand. You are more than free to pick no liver/kidneys and smoke all the bud you want. But if you want that second shot at life, you must follow the rules. Simple as that. And the ones who get them in the USA (medical tourists are an entirely different ball game) are the ones who follow the rules. The people who prove they CAN follow the rules get em.

If someone cant not stop smoking weed to get a fucking new organ and a second life, I'm sorry but you think they can follow the rules for the rest of their lives? Because after you GET IT theres a lot of rules to follow or else its basically a waste (no grapefruit juice, you cannot take certain medicines, you cannot eat certain things, you cannot do other things, you cannot be around certain people, you must take medications exactly as prescribed daily, the list goes on and on and on).

I've made my points. Dont think me biased one way or the other: I am a drug user, a recovering addict, and the son of a liver transplant recipient. I smoke pot weekly to daily; I am not against medical marijuana. I agree it has TONS of benefits in cancer patients and other sickly people.

But that doesn't change the fact that there are rules that you must follow to get that organ. And you choose to abide by them.
 
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^(to condumbpope): what they're saying is that weed contains the toxic mold and an immuno-suppressed person that's infected by the mold stands a good chance of dying. The insult to the immune system comes after the transplant because they give you a bunch of drugs to suppress your immune system so that your body won't attack the new organ.

If that's true though, doctors shouldn't be recommending weed to patients with bad kidneys.
 
A different doctor recommends it. There is definitely a conflicting doctor telling you to "Not get fucked up, otherwise you lose the organ and go to the bottom of the list". And sorry, but in this extreme life or death scenario, you should listen to the one whos willing to literally give you a second life.

They make the rules VERY CLEAR AND PLAIN, trust me on that one. No one forces anyones hand into smoking weed or not smoking weed.

As fucked up as the system says, there are rules. And a VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF ORGANS! So who should get them: the ones who break the rules, or the ones who dont?

I guess if everyone agreed to donate organs when they died we wouldn't have this fucking problem. But as it stands people die every single day waiting for organs, and every day we need more and more and more. And something needs to be in place to decide who gets those and who doesn't.

Its fucked up but its true. Hence why I find organ donation to be a particularly important topic in todays society. Something like less than 10 or 5% of people agree to donate organs. And of those people, only a smaller %s are viable.

I've worn a DONATE LIFE wristband (almost) every single day since my dad got a new liver. I would love nothing more than for all patients to get the organs they need, and I would love nothing more than dying cancer patients who blaze it up to get a second shot. But sadly thats not the rules.

I think it TOTALLY UNJUSTIFIED to attack the medical community for such decisions. I in NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM see this as prejudice. If an alcoholic kept dranking before his liver transplant, would you tell him "have fun with the new one buddy!" I realize they are not the same thing, but both are breaking the same rule.

Dont get fucked up if you want a second shot. If you cant follow that simple rule...sorry they'll find someone who can in 0 seconds flat.

Near 20 people die daily waiting for organs.
 
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DooMMooD said:
I guess if everyone agreed to donate organs when they died we wouldn't have this fucking problem.
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hey so why is it that people don't become organ donors? Just last year I decided to donate because I was asked about it at the DMV, but before that I don't remember it being brought to my attention.

When and how are people asked to become donors, and what reasons stop them from doing so?
 
Some people are superstitious and think you'll need those organs when your dead. Or they think that if your a donor the doctors will let you die or kill you to harvest your organs.Or they think your body can still feel pain.Often someone will be a donor, but the family gets grossed out by the idea and says no. It's fucking ridiculous.

If cannabis were legal people could use aspergillus free weed or a sterile extract, with govenment regulations to ensure quality. Though it seems aspergillosis is rather rare even with black market weed.

I think there should be mandatory organ donation, or at least an opt-out rather than opt-in donation. But I could see the right-winger screaming, "The governments gonna steal your organs!"
 
My understanding - based on the explanation of a close family member, who is a nurse working at a large hospital - is that the protocol at at least some hospitals for harvesting organs involves declaring death based on different standards than when not harvesting organs. The difference means that doctors give up on you before they would otherwise, in order to keep the organs fresh and working.
 
DooMMooD said:
There is a GIANT LIST of rules and things you must follow and agree to. ONE OF THEM IS TO NOT USE ILLICIT AND INTOXICATING SUBSTANCES.
Click to expand...

Cannabis was prescribed to her in a state where it is legal. Therefore, it is not illicit.
As for intoxicating, I feel certain that many people waiting for transplants use opiates, or other intoxicating pain medications.

By harping repeatedly on your "Follow the rules" message, you sound very conservative and closed-minded.
(I am not trying to attack or insult you, but want to state how you sound to me, and possibly to others.)
Sometimes, rules are made without full knowledge or understanding of the situation, or time changes things, or rules are made without considering all of the many possible situations that may arise.
Other times, the rules are simply unfair.
I understand that you have a deep personal experience with this matter, but if you can't see that this situation is ridiculous, since the woman was taking cannabis as a (legal) medicine, then there is not much more we can discuss, I am afraid.
 
^ As a Medical Marijuana Patient with legitimate reasons to use cannabis in CA, I must note that even in Los Angeles County, one of the most liberal counties in CA when it comes to MMJ, discrimination in both the medical and employment settings are commonplace. This is very unfortunate, since a large amount of 16-25 year olds here partake. It is also nonsensical, as you can have a prescription for high dose Desoxyn (d-methamphetamine), high dose Opana (oxymorphone), and high dose (Halcion) triazolam, all very powerful drugs (when overprescribed), and still not be discriminated in the workforce; smoke a bit of weed, however, and you're a "drug abusing junkie scumbag." 8)

Medical hospitals and Pain Management Clinics often follow federal guidelines, which do not recognize MMJ as a legitimate medicine, even though they should be following state guidelines when DEA-controlled opiate medications are not involved. Basically, it makes sense of heavily scrutinized PM clinics to drug test and reject MMJ patients, but for medical hospitals to do so when it comes to life saving operations?
 
DooMMooD said:
There is a GIANT LIST of rules and things you must follow and agree to. ONE OF THEM IS TO NOT USE ILLICIT AND INTOXICATING SUBSTANCES. Whether it be alcohol, marijuana, heroin, whatever, you AGREE (willingly I might add) that you will not engage in such behavior up until (and supposed to be afterwards) your transplant.
Click to expand...

"illicit and intoxicating substances"? Seeing as the person was using it medically and legally, it's not "using an illicit substance". As for intoxicating, that would include so many medications. I doubt that this specifically is an actual rule seeing as a patient would not be allowed any pain management or many other necessary medications which can be classed as "intoxicating", and if it is a rule then it shouldn't be. If the person is using a substance that is actually harmful to their health or the transplant process then of course, they should be denied.

Using cannabis might be in some way detrimental to the process of getting a transplant, even though i'm not seeing any definitive proof that it is in the case that a person is not smoking it (though it seems that this person was), so I don't know if it should actually be against the rules to consume (and likely neither does the medical community yet) in regards to being harmful. But denying someone an organ transplant just because "omg, the drugs they used were INTOXICATING AND/OR ILLICIT", instead of because the drugs or method of using the drugs are actually harmful to the person or the transplant process, would be a completely backwards policy to have.

The woman should have checked to see if she would be denied treatment before starting to use cannabis, yes. And since she was likely smoking it, I agree with it, since the increased risk of infection is a valid concern. But if a person is eating or vaping it, then there is likely no reason to deny a transplant.
 
I feel so sad about this :(

The cannabis could even have helped holdeing the inflammation down, as it is anti-inflammatory..

//blazR
 
^ I agree with most everything Hexaslug said, except for one thing.
If she was smoking it, and therefore raised the risk of infection, should she be denied a transplant?
Isn't that her risk to take?
What if the cannabis gave her the greatest relief from her incredible pain, and she decided that it was worth the risk?
What if she was extra careful to eat a healthy diet with plenty of vitamin A and C in order to reduce the risk of infection?
It is all too controlling, too demanding, too short-sighted and closed-hearted for me.
She was taking a medicine.
A medicine prescribed by her doctor.
To relieve pain.
What in the name of God is wrong with that?
 
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