Some context:
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the private, non-profit organization that manages the U.S. organ transplantation system under contract with the federal government. As part of UNOS, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) establishes policy. This CTA is calling on UNOS/OPTN to establish & communicate to partners and hospitals a clear policy that the Covid Vaccine is NOT a requirement for organ transplants. Many hospitals have unfairly removed the unvaccinated from the organ recipient list.
Sample Letter:
Dear UNOS Committee Heads and Board Members,
UNOS states the following on its website: Each transplant hospital makes its own decisions about listing and transplanting candidates according to the hospital’s best clinical judgment, including whether or not any specific vaccination is part of their eligibility criteria. If you have questions about listing or transplant criteria at your hospital, we encourage you to contact the hospital directly. UNOS does not track which transplant centers require a COVID-19 vaccine.
Sadly, hospitals around the nation are removing people from the organ transplant list for non-compliance with Covid vaccine requirements and they are stating that they are following UNOS/OPTN policies. UNOS seems to pride itself on having transplant policies that are equitable and inclusive, but if you aren’t communicating a non-discrimination policy to your partner hospitals then you are failing and complicit in unnecessary deaths. Policies or lack there of have consequences.
Patients all across the country are in dire need of life saving organ transplants and they are being unfairly removed from the organ recipient list because they won’t take a Covid 19 vaccine that they aren’t comfortable with. These vaccines have now been shown to neither prevent infection nor transmission, there are no long-term studies on them and there are MANY reports world-wide of resulting myocarditis, stroke and death.
Covid 19 vaccine mandates have now been challenged in numerous court cases throughout the nation and found unconstitutional. The tide has turned. Your organization is in the unique position to develop a truly non-discriminatory policy now and communicate it before another person dies needlessly.
If you uphold any ethical standards at all you must act now and communicate to all UNOS partners and hospitals that the Covid 19 vaccine is NOT a requirement to receive a lifesaving organ transplant. Those entities who require the vaccine will be liable for unnecessary deaths. It is only a matter of time. Families losing loved ones because you failed to communicate clear policy directives will not forget your names. History will not look kindly on this form of discrimination. The American people will not sit idly by and allow the deaths of transplant recipients who were removed from the list unnecessarily.
Imagine how much money you and your partner hospitals and organizations are going to have to spend in litigation to defend yourselves for all the unnecessary death you will have been responsible for. Now is the time to course correct before lawful actions by injured parties materialize. Any delays on your part could indeed be costly as legal remedies are pursued by the loved ones of those who are suffering or die without the transplants they need. Please be smart and act ethically now by putting out a clear directive on this matter immediately. Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Additional Information:
UNOS / OPTN Email Addresses
courtney.jett@unos.org
laura.schmitt@unos.org
Susie.Sprinson@unos.org
Eric.Messick@unos.org
alex.carmack@unos.org
robert.hunter@unos.org
lindsay.larkin@unos.org
matt.cafarella@unos.org
meghan.mcdermott@unos.org
Kaitlin.Swanner@unos.org
sally.aungier@unos.org
kelley.poff@unos.org
joann.white@unos.org
cole.fox@unos.org
Jerry.mccauley@unos.org
Dianne.LaPointeRudow@unos.org
Valinda.jones@unos.org
Linda.cendales@unos.org