Best 'deters organ donations'

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BBC

Monday, 15 December, 2003, 13:54 GMT

Best 'deters organ donations'

Best has been criticised for his persistent drinking

The doctor who carried out a life-saving liver transplant on soccer legend

Clough has criticised football legend Best for putting people

off organ donation.

Transplant expert Manas, of Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, said the

former Manchester United star's drinking binges, which have not stopped

despite him being given a new liver in July 2002, have had a serious impact

on other seriously-ill patients.

He said at the moment just 45% of relatives consented to organ donation when

a loved one died, compared with 70% two years ago.

Staff at the Freeman say relatives will only agree to donate a loved one's

organs if they were assured they would not be given to alcoholics.

But the hospital, where Teesside-born Mr Clough received life-saving

treatment in January, said donors and their families may not give organs

conditionally.

Mr Manas said his famous patient was now a good example to other liver

transplant recipients.

He said: " Sadly, Best has not proved himself to be a very good role

model and his very high-profile drinking has made people lose faith in

transplantation.

Clough admits years of drinking took their toll

" For every Best, there are hundreds of other living patients who

appreciate what has been done for them, but it is the celebrity case that

people get to hear about.

" Clough, who used to drink, had his transplant here and has not

started drinking again.

" He is doing well and is proving to be a far better role model. "

Mr Best's agent Philip said the number of registered organ donors

went up following the footballer's high-profile operation last year.

He said: " Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

" What the doctor has to realise is that is an alcoholic which is a

disease in itself.

" Even if you replace someone's liver it doesn't stop the craving for

alcohol. "

In January, Mr Manas said that the man known affectionately as Cloughie,

felt " very privileged " to have been given a new liver because of the amount

of alcohol he had consumed in the past.

Mr Manas insisted at the time that Mr Clough, an NHS patient, was not picked

out for preferred treatment because of his celebrity.

Mr Clough, 68 and who now lives in Derby, praised the National Health

Service for their " incredible " work and admitted he had enjoyed too many

drinks in his life.