Dr Gary Levy, of the Toronto University Health Network, writing today on the op-ed page of The Globe and Mail, attempts to diffuse some of the controversy and criticism flowing from Health Canada’s new regulations restricting organ donations by men who have sex with men. To his credit Dr Levy argues that the same questions should be asked about the sexual practices of all donors, not just those who are known to be gay and bravo for that. albeit a bit late.
Too much of Dr Levy’s column smacks of an after-the-fact PR effort. This doesn’t surprise me. Organ transplant programs and their medical practitioners are very much aware of their ghoulish reputation and how negative publicity can affect their source of raw materials, i.e. donor organs. Dr. Levy goes on about the questions he and his colleagues ask donors about their sexual and drug use habits etc.
Excuse me Dr, but aren’t most of your donors brain-dead (as required by law)? OK, I know there are lots of living-donors of kidneys and liver tissue, but I don’t think we are talking about those. But it’s is a good way for Dr Levy to change the subject and distract the reader from the real issue.
Dr Levy’s, and others’, claims that Health Canada did not consult with them before issuing the new regulations are just not credible. The bureaucrats probably did not consult representatives of the gay community, as has been widely reported, but there is no way such regulations would get passed without input from Canada’s largest transplant program. That is not the way bureaucrats preparing recommendations for ministers and Cabinet work, or are allowed to work. Were the physicians consulted and their advice ignored? That we won’t know if Dr Levy is covering for Health Canada. Or were the physicians just acquiescent? No point riling Health Canada, which is the source of so much medical research money, when the general public will be reassured and only a few gay activists are likely to get upset.
Added irony in the controversy over whether it is safe to use gay donor organs was the advertisement appearing on the reverse side of the page containing Dr Levy’s op-ed piece. bioLytica bought a full-page, full-colour ad, “Are you really sure/“, to promote its 60-second, Health Canada approved, HIV test.
So Health Canada is confident an instant test conducted in a sexual health clinic can determine if someone is carrying HIV, but all the resources of a university affiliated health science centre organ transplant program are insufficient to tell if donor tissue is safe! And this isn’t about homophobia?
Too much of Dr Levy’s column smacks of an after-the-fact PR effort. This doesn’t surprise me. Organ transplant programs and their medical practitioners are very much aware of their ghoulish reputation and how negative publicity can affect their source of raw materials, i.e. donor organs. Dr. Levy goes on about the questions he and his colleagues ask donors about their sexual and drug use habits etc.
Excuse me Dr, but aren’t most of your donors brain-dead (as required by law)? OK, I know there are lots of living-donors of kidneys and liver tissue, but I don’t think we are talking about those. But it’s is a good way for Dr Levy to change the subject and distract the reader from the real issue.
Dr Levy’s, and others’, claims that Health Canada did not consult with them before issuing the new regulations are just not credible. The bureaucrats probably did not consult representatives of the gay community, as has been widely reported, but there is no way such regulations would get passed without input from Canada’s largest transplant program. That is not the way bureaucrats preparing recommendations for ministers and Cabinet work, or are allowed to work. Were the physicians consulted and their advice ignored? That we won’t know if Dr Levy is covering for Health Canada. Or were the physicians just acquiescent? No point riling Health Canada, which is the source of so much medical research money, when the general public will be reassured and only a few gay activists are likely to get upset.
Added irony in the controversy over whether it is safe to use gay donor organs was the advertisement appearing on the reverse side of the page containing Dr Levy’s op-ed piece. bioLytica bought a full-page, full-colour ad, “Are you really sure/“, to promote its 60-second, Health Canada approved, HIV test.
So Health Canada is confident an instant test conducted in a sexual health clinic can determine if someone is carrying HIV, but all the resources of a university affiliated health science centre organ transplant program are insufficient to tell if donor tissue is safe! And this isn’t about homophobia?
