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Dick Cheney’s heart transplant rekindles age debate

By Marilynn Marchione

 |  Associated Press  

  March 26, 2012

Doctors say it is unlikely that former Vice President Dick Cheney got special treatment when he was given a new heart at age 71 that thousands of younger people also were in line to receive. Still, his case reopens debate about whether rules should be changed to favor youth over age in giving out scarce organs. As it stands now, time on the waiting list, medical need and where you live determine the odds of scoring a new heart - not how many years you’ll live to make use of it.

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