.jpg)
.jpg)
A 12-year-old Indiana girl has been denied placement on the heart transplant list at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital due to her unvaccinated status against COVID-19 and influenza, according to her parents.
Adaline Deal, who was adopted from China at age four and is a distant relative of Vice President JD Vance, suffers from two congenital heart conditions that require a transplant. Her parents, Janeen and Brayton Deal, identify as nondenominational Christians and have chosen not to vaccinate her, citing religious beliefs and concerns over vaccine safety, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
However, the hospital where she has been receiving treatment for a decade does not recognize it as a medical exemption.
"They won't put her on the list until she is vaccinated," Janeen Deal, Adaline's mother, told Children’s Health Defense.
The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital requires transplant candidates to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu, as immunosuppressive therapy after transplants increases susceptibility to infections.
"In the beginning of the pandemic, we had many transplant patients become deathly ill and we actually lost a number of our transplant patients to COVID-19, because they are more likely to have severe outcomes," Dr. Camille Kotton, clinical director of transplant and immunocompromised host infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, told the outlet.
"The first year after transplant is when they're at highest risk for infection, but they do have a lifelong risk of severe disease and transplant patients are still dying because of COVID-19."
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital stated that their clinical decisions are “guided by science, research, and best practices,” and that care plans are tailored in collaboration with families to ensure the safest, most effective treatment.
In response, the Deal family is seeking alternative transplant centers that do not require vaccinations and has initiated a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised over $60,000 to support their efforts.
Adaline's case has also prompted political action--Ohio Representative Jennifer Gross is seeking co-sponsors for legislation that would prevent children from being refused medical care based on their vaccination status.
Disclaimer:
The information provided here is for entertainment and educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute medical professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Visit the disclaimer link for more details: www.biohackyourself.com/termsanddisclaimers.
Comments