Alcoholic denied liver transplant – news?

Several media are carrying a story about a man denied a liver transplant because he’s a chronic alcoholic, and more or less implying this isn’t fair and that the health system has let him down. I mean, get the family photos, especially on CTV’s version.

I don’t want to be harsh, but I can see why doctors would be unwilling to undertake surgery on this man plus several of his relatives, if he has never been able to stop drinking, as it says in the articles. I don’t see where fairness comes into it. It’s common sense.

Also it’s a weird kind of journalism.