Peer-Reviewed Study Reveals Federal Organ Transplant Regulations Disproportionately Harm Communities of Color
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Peer-Reviewed Study Reveals Federal Organ Transplant Regulations Disproportionately Harm Communities of Color
By Nyla Glover on Thursday, September 8, 2026
Originally published in Black Voice News
The study concludes that CMS’s performance metrics disproportionately penalize non-profit organ procurement organizations serving multicultural populations. Experts warn enforcement of these metrics risks decertifying vital regional organizations, destabilizing donation capacity, and widening existing disparities for minority patients on transplant waiting lists. (Chris Allen, BVN).
On August 26, 2026 SID&T published a press release on this latest study, which was the impetus for this article in Black Voice News and related news coverage. Use the link below to download the press release.
Overview: A new study published in Transplantation warns that federal organ procurement regulations create discriminatory hurdles for diverse communities. Experts argue that current CMS performance metrics unfairly penalize organizations serving minority populations, risking the decertification of vital regional entities. Consequently, the advocacy group SID&T is calling on federal regulators to pause enforcement and adjust metrics to prevent widening existing healthcare disparities.
As the nation observes National Minority Donor Awareness Month, a newly published peer-reviewed study provides compelling evidence that federal organ procurement regulations overseen by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are creating discriminatory hurdles for racially and ethnically diverse communities.
Published in the journal Transplantation, the study concludes that CMS’s performance metrics disproportionately penalize non-profit organ procurement organizations serving multicultural populations.
Experts warn that enforcing these regulations without adjustment, risks decertifying vital regional organizations, destabilizing donation capacity, and widening existing disparities for minority patients on transplant waiting lists. In light of these findings, the advocacy organization Science in Donation and Transplant (SID&T) is calling on federal regulators to pause current rules and protect vulnerable patients.
Experts warn that enforcing CMS regulations without adjustment, risks decertifying vital regional organizations, destabilizing donation capacity, and widening existing disparities for minority patients on transplant waiting lists.
“Without adjustment, Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) serving multicultural communities face a punitive cycle: lower measured performance leads to decertification, disruption weakens donation capacity, and inequities in donation and transplantation access widen further,” noted the study’s authors, James R. Rodrigue, PhD, Sean Fitzpatrick, and Brandon McKown.
This paper adds to a growing body of more than twenty published peer-reviewed studies questioning the scientific validity of the federal performance metrics. Researchers have repeatedly identified significant methodological flaws in the current standards, including inadequate risk adjustment, statistical instability, and a failure to account for differences in the populations served by individual organizations. Rather than closing health disparities as intended, these metrics threaten to exacerbate them.
Prominent healthcare leaders emphasize that achieving true equity requires federal regulators to foster collaboration rather than enforce punitive policies. Dr. Anthony Watkins, MD, FACS, an SID&T Advisory Board Member and Enterprise Director of Kidney Transplant at Jefferson Health, previously chaired the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. He also spearheaded the establishment of the African American Transplant Program at Tampa General Hospital to address access disparities directly.
According to UCI Health, “Over 20,000 people are on the organ transplant waiting list in California.” Approximately 90% of those on the waiting list are in need of a kidney. The UCI Health transplant team notes, “The program transplant has been on a growth trajectory for several years. In 2024, [it completed transplants on] 222 kidneys in 2024, up 40% from 134 in 2023.”
“Our mission is to ensure equitable access and quality care for all the patients we serve,” said Dr. Watkins. “Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should work to rebuild trust with the system’s stakeholders and approach its regulatory responsibilities with a spirit of collaboration and discovery. The teamwork between transplant centers and procurement organizations saves lives. We are in the trenches together. When a procurement organization receives a 2 a.m. call from a hospital about a potential donor, we know their team is looking out for our patients, exploring every viable way to turn tragedy into a lifesaving gift. Let’s ensure our regulatory approach reflects that same spirit: one of collaboration, trust, and a shared commitment to saving lives.”
SID&T maintains that federal regulations should serve as an active roadmap for an equitable future rather than a rigid barrier. To protect minority donor families and waiting list patients, the organization urges CMS to pause enforcement and adjust its metrics. For more information, visit www.sidandt.org.
