Are the right people getting the medical attention they deserve? The LA Times is reporting that UCLA Medical Center may have provided livers to four patients who were members of the Japanese gang, Yakuza, instead of others who were more in need and further up the list. Although UCLA is denying the claims, the entire situation looks a bit shady. While hundreds of patients died waiting for livers between 2000 and 2004, one person, who wasn’t even legally allowed in the country, managed to jump the line.
The newspaper says the surgeries were performed by world-renowned liver surgeon Dr. Ronald W. Busuttil, executive chairman of UCLA’s surgery department. The Times cited a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
There is no indication UCLA or Busuttil knew any of the patients had ties to Japanese gangs, known as Yakuza. The school and Busuttil said in statements they don’t make moral judgments about patients, but treat them according to their medical need.
Tadamasa Goto, who had been barred from entering the United States because of his criminal history, was the most prominent transplant recipient. According to the Times, he leads a gang called the Gotogumi.
Photo by Chris Radcliff
Subscribe to our RSS Feed And checkout our coffee competition to win a $30 gift voucher to your favourite coffee shop : click here
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
0 responses so far ↓
Subscribe to our RSS Feed and leave a comment to enter the commentator of the week competition and win a $20 Amazon.com gift voucher.
Leave a Comment