# Organ donation in the UK
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-donation-in-the-uk/332070
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 21, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-donation-in-the-uk/332070 "2005-11-21T13:55:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-donation-in-the-uk/332070/1 "2005-11-21T13:55:57Z")
Just wondering, given the perilous state of Northern Ireland footballer [George Best](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4456202.stm) (rampant alcoholic at various times of his life)
If someone who has a history of substance abuse needs a donation, how would their case differ from someone who was ill for other reasons. Are there stipulations on their behaviour after the donation? Do they receive the donation with the doctors crossing their fingers the patient won’t continue abusing their substance of choice.
As a (potential) organ donor, the case of George Best is somewhat annoying to read.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-donation-in-the-uk/332070/2 "2005-11-21T16:21:03Z")
**Pushkin** - Technically the sickest person compatible gets the liver.
Most doctors will insist that their patients undertake some sort of agreement not to drink, but it’s not legally enforceable, so it is more of the crossing fingers type thing, yes.
The whole ethos driving medicine is that everyone deserves equal care and the sickest person gets treated first.
In some cases it doesn’t always work.
A close relative of a good friend is on the waiting list for a liver, and has been for the last 18months, she doesn’t have long left. People like Best are an insult to those who died waiting for new organs, and who would have respected the gift that they were given.
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### Author:  [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-donation-in-the-uk/332070/3 "2005-11-21T16:34:04Z")
I found [this website](http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4117844&chk=dIq2NY) from the UK Department of Health regarding their National Liver Transplant Standards. There’s a link at the bottom of the page to a PDF containing the standards.
On page 19 of the PDF, in Topic 3 “Assessment, Access to the Waiting List and Organ Allocation”, standard 3.13 is:
Patients with generally accepted contraindications (e.g. those with major
continue to abuse alcohol) should not be offered transplantation.
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### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2005, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-donation-in-the-uk/332070/4 "2005-11-22T09:30:03Z")
Thanks for the replies, best wishes to your friend Irishgirl.