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Peer-reviewed article

The Countdown Begins

This chapter begins with Deb Porter Gill and the author's discussion about directed donation after their chain in the paired exchange called off. The chapter then displays Deb's frustrations with the Mayo Clinic's lack of communication and…

By John D. LantosJanuary 1, 20211 min readin Cornell University Press eBooks

This chapter begins with Deb Porter Gill and the author's discussion about directed donation after their chain in the paired exchange called off. The chapter then displays Deb's frustrations with the Mayo Clinic's lack of communication and attention to detail in the process of her impending surgery and other necessary tests. It then turns to highlight the author's biggest obstacle: the dry ice saga. The author received an email from Mayo, with template language saying they were required to recheck blood for HIV and hepatitis within twenty-eight days of all organ donation surgeries. The chapter describes how the author struggled to find a dry ice source and shipment to ship the HIV-hepatitis lab kit back to Mayo on time.

Originally published at Cornell University Press eBooks · January 1, 2021.

About the author

John D. Lantos is a pediatrician and bioethicist writing on AI in medicine, neonatal intensive care, and end-of-life decisions. His essays appear in JAMA, JAMA Pediatrics, the Hastings Center Report, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Aeon. Read more about John.

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