In the US, a patient has been taken off a hospital waiting list for a heart transplant because he refuses to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
31 year old DJ Ferguson is a father of two, with another one on the way. He is a patient at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and is in desparate need of the heart transplant.
He was at the front of the line to receive the critical surgery. However because he has not received a COVID-19 vaccine he is no longer eligible according to the hospital’s policy.
The hospital has released a statement saying that in keeping with many other transplant programmes in the US, the COVID-19 vaccine is one of several vaccines and lifestyle behaviours required for transplant candidates. It says these requirements are necessary in order to create both the best chance for a successful operation and also the patient’s survival after transplantation.
Head of Medical Ethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine Dr. Arthur Caplan says being vaccinated is necessary for this type of procedure, as post any transplant, the immune system is shut off.
He says as organs are scarce, they would not be distributed to someone with a poor chance of living when others who are vaccinated have a better chance post-surgery of surviving.
The patient’s family members say they are unsure of their next step. Transferring him to another facility has been considered. However, he may be too weak to be moved and they say they are running out of time.
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