Unvaccinated Man Taken Off Transplant List Reignites Patient Debate

ABoston man who is not eligible for a heart transplant because he refuses to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has sparked a debate over why health care systems across the U.S. have implemented such policies.

According to his family, DJ Ferguson, 31, is unable to receive a transplant at Brigham and Women's Hospital due to a hospital policy that requires transplant patients to be vaccinated, CBS Boston reported.

"My son has gone to the edge of death to stick to his guns and he's been pushed to the limit," DJ's father, David Ferguson, told the news outlet. "Because he won't get the shot, they took him off the list (for) a heart transplant."

David Ferguson added that he strongly disagrees with the hospital's position and is now "aggressively pursuing all options," including possibly transferring his son to a different hospital in the area, despite his weakened state.

Brigham and Women's Hospital explained in a statement to Newsweek that while they could not comment on Ferguson's specific case, their vaccine policies are put in place to ensure that patients who receive a transplant have the best possible chance of survival.