Puerto Rico’s health ombudsman announced the creation of a commission to examine the creation of guidelines on the procedure to follow in cases of patients diagnosed as brain dead.
Carlos Mellado Lopez said at a press conference that the commission will present the necessary recommendations so that new legislation may be drafted, this after the death here last week of retired boxer Hector “Macho” Camacho.
The former world champ was shot in the head on the night of Nov. 20 and was declared brain dead.
Camacho remained connected to a mechanical ventilator until finally last Saturday the machines that were keeping him alive were turned off.
Mellado Lopez said after Camacho’s death that several deficiencies and violations in the handling of information about his case had occurred.
“It is evident that both the hospitals’ guidelines and ... Puerto Rico’s Donations and Transplants Law have gaps or areas that are not very clear in terms of the procedure to follow with regard to the length of time that a brain-dead patient will be able to remain connected to an artificial ventilator,” he said.
He said that the current situation raises a large number of concerns regarding the preservation of organs that can be donated.
