Boston Hospital Removes Unvaccinated Dad From Heart Transplant List

An unvaccinated dad lost this top spot on the heart transplant list after a Boston hospital removed his name because he refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

DJ Ferguson, 31, has a hereditary illness that causes blood to build up in his lungs and heart. His family has been hoping for that transplant to extend his life and watch his two young kids and a baby on the way growing up.

However, the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston took his name out on the top of the heart transplant list because he refused to get vaccinated. According to the hospital, they are only complying with the policies stipulated for transplants.

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On the "Edge of Death"

In a  video interview, David Ferguson, the father of DJ, said that his son was sticking to his principles as an adult who could make his own decisions. David fears that DJ will be on the "edge of death" now that he's off the heart transplant list.

DJ's mom, Tracey Ferguson, said that her son refused to get the vaccine because he could develop some adverse reactions due to his illness. Despite the assurance of DJ's medical team that it was okay for him to get the vaccine, he insisted on having no jabs and told his doctors he could not die over a shot. The unvaccinated dad fears that his already-swollen heart, due to his illness, could swell even further because the vaccine might trigger inflammation.

NYU Grossman School of Medicine's Dr. Arthur Caplan told CBS News that transplant candidates need to get the COVID-19 vaccine to help their recovery post-transplant. He said that after the procedure, the body's immune system shuts down completely, making the patient vulnerable to any virus, including colds or flu.

"The organs are scarce," Caplan said. "So, we are not going to distribute them to someone who has a poor chance of living when others who are vaccinated have a better chance post-surgery of surviving."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also highly recommends that immunocompromised patients waiting for an organ transplant get a COVID-19 vaccine.

What's Next for DJ?

The Fergusons are considering moving DJ to another hospital that might not have a strict vaccination policy. However, this plan could hurt DJ more as he is now too weak to be transported.

Though Brigham and Women's Hospital took good care of DJ, his family cannot discount his conviction to refuse the vaccine. The Fergusons have set up a GoFundMe page for the unvaccinated dad's other potentially aggressive treatments sans the heart transplant. They have spoken to other cardiologists who may have other life-saving options for DJ, but everything remains a shot in the dark as they are backed in a corner to save his life.

In October 2021, a woman from Colorado was also removed from the transplant list due to her vaccination status. A man from Ohio could not get his kidney transplant because his donor match has not had her COVID-19 shot.

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