In the wake of two high-profile cases of people with disabilities allegedly denied organ transplants due to their special needs, advocates are urging federal officials to step in.
A national coalition of 14 advocacy groups all led by people with disabilities is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to issue legal guidance to the nation’s organ transplant facilities regarding their responsibilities under disability rights law.
The group is also urging families to file civil rights complaints with HHS if they feel that they’ve been wronged by transplant decisions.
The efforts were spurred by two recent cases where discrimination allegedly colored transplant decisions involving patients with developmental disabilities. Earlier this year, then-3-year-old Amelia Rivera made national news when her parents said she was denied a kidney transplant because of her intellectual disability. The hospital later reversed its decision.
Read more of Michelle Diamente's Disability Scoop article HERE.
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