Sick youth cannot jump donor list

Gareth Anderson is critically ill after his liver failed

Northern Ireland Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has said he cannot change organ transplant rules and allow a man to be added to the waiting list.

Gareth Anderson, 19, is critically ill with liver failure after binge drinking with friends at the weekend.

He became ill after returning home and was taken to the Ulster Hospital where doctors said his liver had failed.

Mr McGimpsey said guidelines state that he has to be alcohol free for six months before going on the organ list.

"There are not enough livers to go around and the reason behind that guidance is that to be sure that precious gift isn't destroyed by alcohol immediately after, or soon after, the transplant occurs," he said.

"It's very much a matter for clinicians, I do not intervene, I am merely a politician.

"Northern Ireland is the lowest registration pro rata of the whole of the UK and I think one of the things we have to get across is the message that everyone should be on the organ donation register."

His father, Brian, said his son might not have that long left.

He said that he did not believe Gareth had a drink problem and had never been treated for anything alcohol related.

Mr Anderson said that his son had a few "heavy weekends" but said that he did not seem to be partying any harder than other teenagers.

"We didn't know he hadn't a strong liver to stand the amount of drink they all were taking," he said.

He said that the six-month rule was wrong and that his son was not being "given a chance".

'Chance'

Liver specialist at Newcastle General Hospital, Dr Chris Record, said most patients who developed liver failure had been drinking heavily for more than a decade, but that it could develop after just a year's heavy drinking.

He said that transplants were not always successful and doctors had to weigh up the likelihood of success. He said in the case of liver failure from alcohol there was the danger of multiple organ failure.

"Livers are very hard to come by and we have to make the best use of them," he said.

He said that the six-month rule was to give doctors confidence that the patient had stopped drinking.

"We're not usually talking about 19-year-olds when we're applying this rule because most patients who develop liver failure from alcohol have been drinking heavily for more than 10 years because this is how long it takes for serious live damage to develop," he said.

Local assembly member Jim Shannon said that Mr McGimpsey had to act and that time was not on Gareth's side.

"I think it's clear that the six-month rule shouldn't apply here and to have that changed to ensure the Ulster Hospital can move forward we need ministerial intervention - it has to be at that level," he said.

"This young boy needs a chance to continue his life and contribute to society."