Just a little preview of what we should expect to see coming, 10 yr old girl who would survive a lung trsnplant cant get one because of government rules.
Kathleen Sebelius wonât waive regulation for girl with five weeks to live: âSomeone lives and someone diesâ
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius rebuffed an appeal from Rep. Lou Barletta on behalf of a girl who needs a lung transplant but canât get one because of a federal regulation that prevents her from qualifying for a transplant.
âPlease, suspend the rules until we look at this policy,â Barletta, a Pennsylvania Republican, asked Sebelius during a House hearing Tuesday on behalf of Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year-old girl who needs a lung transplant. She canât qualify for an adult lung transplant until the age of 12, according to federal regulations, but Sebelius has the authority to waive that rule on her behalf. The pediatric lungs for which she currently qualifies arenât available.
âI would suggest, sir, that, again, this is an incredibly agonizing situation where someone lives and someone dies,â Sebelius replied. âThe medical evidence and the transplant doctors who are making the rule â and have had the rule in place since 2005 making a delineation between pediatric and adult lungs, because lungs are different that other organs â that itâs based on the survivability [chances].â
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Barletta countered that medical professionals think Murneghan could survive an adult lung transplant. During the exchange, he also said that the girl has three to five weeks to live.
Sebelius reminded Barletta that 40 people in Pennsylvania are on the âhighest acuity listâ for lung transplants.
Kathleen Sebelius wonât waive regulation for girl with five weeks to live: âSomeone lives and someone diesâ
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius rebuffed an appeal from Rep. Lou Barletta on behalf of a girl who needs a lung transplant but canât get one because of a federal regulation that prevents her from qualifying for a transplant.
âPlease, suspend the rules until we look at this policy,â Barletta, a Pennsylvania Republican, asked Sebelius during a House hearing Tuesday on behalf of Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year-old girl who needs a lung transplant. She canât qualify for an adult lung transplant until the age of 12, according to federal regulations, but Sebelius has the authority to waive that rule on her behalf. The pediatric lungs for which she currently qualifies arenât available.
âI would suggest, sir, that, again, this is an incredibly agonizing situation where someone lives and someone dies,â Sebelius replied. âThe medical evidence and the transplant doctors who are making the rule â and have had the rule in place since 2005 making a delineation between pediatric and adult lungs, because lungs are different that other organs â that itâs based on the survivability [chances].â
Sign Up for the Politics Digest newsletter!
Barletta countered that medical professionals think Murneghan could survive an adult lung transplant. During the exchange, he also said that the girl has three to five weeks to live.
Sebelius reminded Barletta that 40 people in Pennsylvania are on the âhighest acuity listâ for lung transplants.
