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Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

More or Less: A Liver Transplant

Factual

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17/04/2015

A Liver Transplant

BBC World Service - More or Less, A Liver Transplant

A question from a listener about a living transplant

A young listener who needs a liver transplant has received an offer from his brother to act as a living donor. What are the statistics on survival?

A 21-year old listener in need of a liver transplant has received an offer from his older brother to act as a living donor. Henry asks More or Less if the statistics can help him decide whether to accept. How long would he have to wait for an organ from a deceased donor if he chose that option instead?

When we see news reports of a child going missing we often jump to the worst conclusions. The largest big-scale research project in the USA found almost 800,000 children – 1 in 90 – were reported missing in a year. It sounds like a worryingly large number. But almost half soon turned up. Only a very small fraction - 115 - had been kidnapped. So how should these numbers be used in news reports?  Hannah Moore and Ruth Alexander hear from Professor David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Centre at the University of New Hampshire.

Image: A box for transporting human organs. Credit: Getty Images

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