Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act

The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act aims to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to life-saving organ transplants. Under this proposal, healthcare providers and organ procurement organizations would be prohibited from denying a transplant or related services to a person based solely on a physical or mental disability. A disability could only be considered in the decision-making process if a physician determines, through an individualized evaluation, that it is medically significant to the success of the procedure. However, the bill clarifies that a disability is not medically significant if the patient has a support system to help them follow medical requirements.

If enacted, the bill would require transplant centers to make reasonable modifications to their policies to accommodate patients with disabilities. It also establishes a process for individuals who feel they have been discriminated against to file expedited claims with the Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, the national network that manages organ distribution would be barred from creating policies that hinder transplant access based on disability. The goal of the legislation is to remove subjective biases from the organ allocation process and protect the civil rights of patients with disabilities.