Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-9) and Congressman Mike Rulli (OH-6) have introduced a bill aimed at ending hospitals’ refusal to perform life-saving organ transplants based on patients’ COVID-19 vaccination status. The legislation, known as the COVID-19 Vaccination Non-Discrimination Act, seeks to ensure that no American is denied a transplant due to their personal or religious medical decisions.
The move comes after a heartbreaking case involving 12-year-old Adaline Deal, who was denied a heart transplant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital because she had not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Congresswoman Houchin stated that denying a child life-saving care over a vaccine is “cruelty,” and that hospitals should focus on saving lives rather than imposing medical mandates on vulnerable patients.
Congressman Rulli echoed this sentiment, calling the practice “inhumane” and “unacceptable.” He emphasized that no child should be left to die due to rigid hospital policies. The bill aims to put an end to these practices and ensure that families have the freedom to make medical decisions for their loved ones without fear of being denied life-saving care.
The legislation seeks to protect vulnerable patients, including those with serious health conditions like Adaline’s two heart issues, who may not be able to receive a vaccine. By ending vaccine-based transplant denials, the bill aims to promote compassion and understanding in healthcare.
Source: https://www.salemleader.com/featured-government/houchin-rulli-bill-to-end-organ-transplant-discrimination