A recent New York Time's investigation discovered that the organ transplant system is not operating as it should be, and people's lives are at-risk. Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) used to primarily stick to their organ waitlists, respecting the order of patients based on medical urgency, overall health status, and other fair factors. Now, however, the system has begun to deviate from this procedure. 

What used to only occur 2% of the time, now happens up to 19% of the time. More than ever, OPOs are skipping diligently ordered lists and instead issuing an "open offer" to preferred hospitals when organs become available. This approach is leading to a grim distortion in organ allocation: they disproportionately end up in the hands of white, asian, wealthier, and potentially even healthier patients, as reported by the New York Times. 

This trend is not just alarming—it's a matter of life and death, a compromise of equality and ethics in our healthcare system. For 16-year old Marcus, it meant that a better matching kidney that should have gone to him, went to someone else from an open offer. Eventually, Marcus received a kidney transplant that didn't match as well, and he may need to go back on the list. 

So today, we are asking everyone to join our demand for a fair distribution of organs for transplantation. We call on healthcare regulators and Organ Procurement Organizations to restore, uphold and ensure the fair utilization of properly ordered organ waitlists. It's a matter of life, death, and justice. Please sign and share this petition.

Image: New York Times