Organs of death-wish man fit for transplant
G.S. RADHAKRISHNA
Hyderabad, Dec. 10: A panel set up by the state government on the directions of Andhra Pradesh High Court has said the organs of K. Venkatesh, 25, who submitted an euthanasia plea to the court on Wednesday, are fit for transplant.
The court has not indicated if it will allow the mercy killing of Venkatesh, who is afflicted with muscular dystrophy. The Andhra health secretary, I.V. Subba Rao, today said the law does not allow such killings.
"Euthanasia is not possible under the existing law. If the AP High Court concedes this request of Venkatesh it might open a Pandora's Box for abuse by anyone including organ peddlers," he said.
On receiving Venkatesh's plea, the court tagged his request to a clearance from the panel. Today the panel, headed by Dr Sai Gopal, the director of medical education, said the terminally ill man's organs were "good enough for transplantation".
The panel visited the hospital, where Venkatesh is lodged, twice to examine his mental and physical faculties. The Humayunnagar resident has been confined to a wheelchair most of his life.
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