Katharina Buczek
For this study, the team evaluated the Medicare data of over 21,300 patients with ESRD. Among this group, 10,692 people had IDD. The team also analyzed the Medicare data of over 1,200 kidney transplant recipients– of which 629 had IDD.
It is important to note that individuals with ESRD in the United States are eligible for Medicare. So, this study allowed for a comprehensive examination of kidney transplant prevalence among adults with IDD as well as without. The researchers also underscored how undergoing organ transplantation is a lifelong and care-intensive endeavor. Plus, just like some adults without IDD, certain adults with IDD may not be strong candidates for organ transplantation.
“However, adults with IDD legally have a right to equal access to evaluation and full, holistic consideration as to whether they would be good transplant candidates,” Hand explained.
So, based on the study’s findings, Hand and her team have called for policies that increase transparency and decrease transplant allocation disparities. They have also advocated for medical professionals to receive anti-discrimination educational resources.
Finally, this study came at a crucial time since the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act (US House Bill 1235) is under federal consideration.
“There are also now 34 states with laws that prohibit this discrimination, the most recent of which is Michigan– where House Bill 4762 passed in December 2022,” Hand added.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in JAMA Surgery, visit the link here.
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