“The God Committee” Misjudges
Organ Donation: Myths vs. Facts
I recently watched “The God Committee,” a 2021 movie staring Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles, based on the play of the same name by Mark St. Germain, which falsely portrays the process of organ transplant decisions.
Both the play and film focus on a local hospital board facing a one-hour deadline to decide between three heart transplant candidates who should receive a new heart, which was originally allocated by the national organ transplant organization (UNOS) to a patient who prematurely passes away.
The movie proposes to address the controversial subject of medical ethics and on what basis an organ transplant is decided — whether upon impartial medical and survival metrics or, as author Mark St. Germain implies, upon other more biased metrics.
The film is prefaced with the style of a documentary, but sadly within minutes viewers are presented three major fallacies — that age, money and proximity are the biggest factors reviewed by the movie’s so-called “God Committee.” According to Jen Melanson of Sacred Heart University:
“Organ transplant wait lists are managed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), who is contracted by the federal government…in the case of The God Committee, once the original heart recipient expired, the hospital would need to contact UNOS for next steps. I do not believe the hospital could make a decision without taking that step.”
But the film’s leading surgeon portrayed by Kelsey Grammer says, “We don’t have time to to contact UNOS.” So the premise of the movie, that a local committee of doctors are responsible for deciding the fate of transplant organs without consulting UNOS first, is largely inaccurate.
The truth is, there is no “God Committee” within local hospitals who make such decisions on transplant candidates, and to imply so demeans the high ethical standards of UNOS and of all medical professionals.
The second major myth is that age will often disqualify a potential recipient. Again, when the committee reviews the three possible candidates Kelsey chimes in, “70 is too old for a heart transplant!”
According to UNOS, although some hospitals have age limits, the number of transplants for patients over the age of 65 has been steadily growing over the last decade.
For example, I was age 69 when I received my double-lung transplant last year at Tampa General Hospital and was pre-approved by The Mayo Clinic. Today considerations are more weighted on a patient’s biological age, which may be different from chronological age, based on diet and fitness.
The third major, and perhaps most troubling of the film’s misrepresentations, is that financial donations made by a potential transplant recipient or family member to a hospital play any whatsoever part in an organ transplant decision. According to Donor Alliance:
“While many factors are used to match organs with patients, only medical and logistical factors are taken into consideration for all organs. Personal or social characteristics such as celebrity status or income do not play a role in transplant priority.”
But in The God Committee it is the potential reward of a $25 million grant by the wealthy father of one of the transplant candidates to the hospital that sways the “God” committee on who should receive the donor heart.
The truth is, organ transplant allocation criteria is programmed into the UNOS national data-based computer system, which evaluates and candidate’s medical data, blood type, medical urgency, organ size and location of the transplant and donor hospitals. Then UNOS’ system generates a rank-order of candidates to be offered each organ. This match is unique to each donor and each organ.
In my case, I had a ranking of 41 on the UNOS list, which meant that when an appropriate set of matching lungs became available there were 40 people who were ahead of me and in greater need than I for the lungs.
But, in what I consider to be a series of miracles, I was only on the UNOS transplant list FOUR days before a match became available, despite an average wait time of 6–12 months or longer. I later discovered that my above average height was a big advantage in this matching process.
Here are some other popular myths/fictions surrounding organ transplants:
Fiction: Organs can be bought and sold legally.
Fact: Organ trafficking is illegal and unethical in most countries. Organs for transplant are typically obtained through voluntary donations or from deceased donors with proper consent.
Fiction: People can get a transplant anytime they want.
Fact: Organ transplants depend on donor availability and compatibility. Waiting lists can be long due to the shortage of organs, and patients are prioritized based on medical urgency.
Fiction: Organ rejection is always a problem.
Fact: While organ rejection can occur, medical advancements and improved immunosuppressant drugs have reduced the risk significantly. Rejection can often be managed with proper medical care.
Fiction: Rich and famous people jump to the front of the transplant waiting list.
Fact: Transplant allocation is usually based on medical need, compatibility, and the length of time on the waiting list. Socioeconomic status or celebrity status typically do not influence prioritization.
Fiction: You can choose which specific organ you want to receive.
Fact: Patients receive organs based on compatibility and medical necessity. They cannot choose a specific organ to transplant.
Fiction: A brain-dead person is still alive.
Fact: Brain death is a legal and medical definition of death. In cases of brain death, all brain functions have permanently ceased, and the person is considered legally deceased, even if their body is being kept functioning through life support.
Here’s a helpful infographic published by The Mayo Clinic which answers 9 common myths about transplants:
In my opinion, The God Committee does not do much of anything positive to advance the cause of truthfully informing the public about the heroic nature of organ transplant teams in major hospitals.
My experience at both The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and at Tampa General Hospital, was that the entire process — from the approval process before the transplant, to the actual surgery, to the post-op recovery team — was conducted by caring professionals.
As a transplant recipient, after viewing The God Committee the feeling I was left with was frustration and disappointment. This film fails to support the great need for organ transplants as well as the great service which everyone involved in these monumental efforts to save lives are performing.
Needless to say, I would give the film a thumbs down, despite being a fan of the acting of Kelsey Grammer, whose character in the film was opposite to all of the many doctors I encountered at Mayo Clinic or Tampa General.
Although Grammer’s character was in one way admirable, portraying a pioneer in “xenotranplanation” (research on animal organs for use in human transplants), but was diminished by statements like, “a heart is just a muscle,” revealing his general lack of patient concern and a cold heart.
An India-based publication, The Week, hits the nail on the head regarding why most films dealing with organ transplants present a distorted view, in their article, “6 Films on the complexities of organ donation”:
“In Hollywood, most films about organ donation have ruined the campaign for the cause. Set in dystopian futures, these films thrive on the dark thrills of organ harvesting rackets (Bad Repo, Never Let Me Go) or on the horrors of it (Turistas). Indian films are a different ballgame: these films are anchored by melodrama to unrealistic plots. Most films are guided by myths. On the occasion of Organ Donation Day on August 13, we take a look at some films from India and abroad that have touched upon the complexity of emotions involving organ donation and promoted the cause.”
I heartily recommend “2 Hearts,” available on Netflix, based the book “All My Tomorrows: A Story of Tragedy, Transplant, and Hope” for a warm-hearted movie on the subject of lung transplants. It is the true story of two couples — the lung donor and recipient — brought together in a most inspiring story.
I remain hopeful that some day soon more films will be produced which present the facts about organ transplants and the many inspiring stories of ordinary people being transformed and given a fresh start in life thanks to both living and deceased organ donors.
There are nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. today waiting to receive a lifesaving organ transplant. If you think you are too old to donate, think again. In speaking with a UNOS spokesperson today, I discovered that a 95-year old woman recently donated one of her kidneys without any issues!
Registering to become an organ, eye and tissue donor is quick and easy to do by saying “Yes” at your local driver license office, or simply contact UNOS.org.
