Smokers Denied Transplants at Australian Hospital: ‘Surgeons at The Alfred Hospital here are demanding that
smokers stop the habit before undergoing major heart and lung surgery, according to a
report by the Australian daily newspaper The Age and other media services. The reported
ban has raised a storm of controversy in Australia.

The hospital says asking lung and heart transplant recipients to give up smoking is done as a
way to define who is most likely to do well after a transplant.

“The scarcity of organ availability obliges the Hospital to ensure that the best outcome
from the ‘gift of life’ of an organ donation occurs,” according to a statement from the
hospital.’ Reuters

I must say that, at first blush, I find this appealing but it’s clearly the start of a slippery slope. Where should the line be drawn about controlling lifestyle contributions to ailments before you’ll be allowed to receive effective therapy?