Convicted rapist next in line for organ transplant

April 29, 2011

Convicted rapist Kenneth Pike, of New York, was expected to undergo a life-saving heart transplant that could have cost as much as US$800,000, a price that would have been funded by taxpayers. The expense angered several crime victim advocates and community members, who said they could not understand how the justice system can provide expensive services for convicted felons arguably at innocent patients’ expense. Pike ultimately turned down the transplant, but some significant bioethical questions remain. Should taxpayers bear the financial brunt of medical treatment for convicted criminals, especially if those taxpayers are struggling to pay their own medical bills?  (BioEdge)