State v. Roozrokh: Transplant Surgeon Hastened Patient's Death

The New York Times reported last night that California prosecutors have charged Dr. Hootan Roozrokh with trying to hasten Ruben Navarro's death to retrieve his organs. While Navarro's mother had already legally decided to forgo LSMT for Ruben, in compliance with the "dead donor rule," the transplant team is basically not supposed to touch the patient until he is dead. According to the charges, Roozrokh prescribed medications before Navarro was dead and for the specific purpose of hastening his death.

While originally controversial with the Pittsburgh Protocol and while still somewhat controversial, donation after cardiac death is a substantially accepted means by which to procure organs while still complying with the dead donor rule. Unfortunately, this case may (i) bring the protocol itself into disrepute, (ii) deter patients from opting in to be organ donors, and (iii) deter patients from forgoing LSMT.