10.     Patient May Not Receive Transplant Due to Illegal Status

The Boston Globe reported on Marcelo Alves, a Brazilian national suffering from cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart that is slowly eroding the rest of his body.  Mr. Alves is in need of a transplant, but his chances of obtaining one are slim because he is an illegal immigrant.

While it is legal for illegal immigrants to receive organ donations, many say it is wrong to give priority to an illegal immigrant when there are over 2,700 US citizens waiting to receive a new heart.  Mr. Alves is not yet on a waiting list for a heart transplant because the hospital treating him, Beth Israel in Boston, refused to consider a transplant because of his immigration status. 

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, the Virginia-based federal contractor that manages organ allocations throughout the United States, organ donations can be provided to illegal immigrants.  However, it is up to individual hospitals to establish organ donation policies.

Mr. Alves was later admitted to Massachusetts General, where physicians will determine whether he meets the medical criteria for a transplant.  The hospital has agreed that if necessary, they will perform the transplant regardless of Mr. Alves’s immigration status.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/10/immigration_status_creates_complications_for_heart_patient/

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