Should alcoholics be given lower priority for liver transplant?
Yes, lower priority
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No, same as everyone
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Hey look, I try to be as tolerant and respectful of others as possible, but there is a scarcity of organs to be transplanted and any time the recipient has demonstrated behaviors to make the likelihood of damaging the replacement organ a higher risk than for others who don't practice that behavior then it should factor into the decision of whom gets it. Side: Yes, lower priority
It depends on the availability of organs, obviously, but alcoholism is a medical condition that deserves to be treated like any other. Obviously a young child with hepatic failure who doesn't destroy his liver with booze ought to be given priority over a whiskey-swilling troublemaker, but that said: the alcoholic should also be given serious and effective treatment for his addiction, and should he (or she) remit from the addiction, then I think they ought to have the same priority as anyone else. Side: No, same as everyone
I'm fairly certain a person has to go a certain length of time without having an alcoholic beverage before they do a transplant. Now I may be completely wrong about that but I'm pretty sure in that instance and alcoholic person would be excluded and the liver would go to a person who adhere's to the rules. Side: Yes, lower priority
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If this question was asked implying that alcoholics will not be responsible enough to control themselves drinking-wise, then I would say: it does not matter if alcoholics will appreciate the treatment or not, or if alcoholics will choose to continue drinking excessively. This is because doctors should heal people no matter who they are or what they have done, whether the damage to their body was the patients own fault or not, if they are in need of treatment, they should be treated. Therefore if anyone should have a higher priority it should be the people who have a higher risk of dying. Side: No, same as everyone
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