# Canadian case: Refusal to have covid vax means no organ transplamt **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [November 9, 2022, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629 "2022-11-09T02:54:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/41 "2022-11-14T15:47:41Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > We have no such screening tool. It sure would be useful, but it doesn’t exist. We can quote odds and statistics, but we have no way to know who can and can’t truly alter their behavior in advance. Odds and statistics are the best we can do, but we use that sort of statistical screening all the time. These sorts of decisions should be backed up by solid data but one can speculate about some plausible behavioural indicators. For instance, multiple DUI convictions may be indicative of alcohol addiction. Or police records of alcohol-related domestic violence. Those may be useful red flags. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/42 "2022-11-14T15:52:26Z")
A friend of ours had a liver transplant 6 weeks ago. Initially it was to be a living donation. His son’s wife was going to give a piece of her liver. The recipient had to agree to not use alcohol ever again, and he was having trouble committing to this. While he was hospitalized a liver became available and they rushed him to surgery. I don’t know what he is going to do with regards to alcohol, because he never agreed to abstinence. He is doing well, but is not yet feeling good enough to want a drink. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2022, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/43 "2022-12-03T06:02:53Z")
In 1994, I did clinicals on an organ transplant unit, and we had a patient who got a kidney transplant, having destroyed her own from either cocaine or meth abuse (don’t remember which) and the rule that center had regarding people like this was that they had to be “clean” before their terminal illness began. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/44 "2023-06-09T14:59:20Z")
Supreme Court of Canada denies leave to appeal. > **[Supreme Court of Canada won’t hear unvaccinated Alberta woman’s case for...](https://globalnews.ca/news/9754905/supreme-court-unvaccinated-organ-transplant-alberta-case/amp/)** > > The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear the appeal of an Alberta woman who was unwilling to be vaccinated in order to get a life-saving organ transplant. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/45 "2023-06-09T16:12:38Z")
The ethics here seems cut and dried. This is not a denial of care, it is prioritization of a limited resource. If she got the organ, somebody else would die. I’m wondering why there has been no similar litigation in the U.S., you’d think with the politicization of vaccination somebody would have tried. Is there clear precedent that the Constitution has bearing on health care? > **[Hospitals are denying transplants for patients who aren’t vaccinated against...](https://www.statnews.com/2022/01/26/hospitals-are-denying-transplants-for-patients-who-arent-vaccinated-against-covid-with-backing-from-ethicists/)** > > Hospitals are denying transplants for patients who aren’t vaccinated against Covid, with backing from ethicists. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/46 "2023-06-09T17:37:56Z")
Interesting article. Thanks. I liked the closing paragraph: > [@](#): > > But still, she added, “The vast majority of transplant candidates are enthusiastic about protecting themselves” from infections that can complicate their transplants. That seems so common sense, but I guess we’re no longer in a world where common sense is important. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/47 "2023-06-09T20:59:53Z")
Common sense has been one of the main casualties of the pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/48 "2023-06-09T22:20:05Z")
I think few medical people would think it was discriminatory not to transplant an unvaccinated patient. And even fewer surgeons. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629/49 "2023-06-09T22:22:28Z")
You summed up perfectly what I was going to say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-case-refusal-to-have-covid-vax-means-no-organ-transplamt/974629.md?page=2)