A 14-year-old girl was turned away for emergency surgery by Duke University Hospital because she was unvaccinated.

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) has now created an online process to help her and others in her situation facing medical barriers due to COVID-19 vaccine discrimination.

Unvaxxed 14-year-old rejected by top hospital for life-saving surgery https://t.co/9cDxTkKyrN

— Mike (@mike_kuester) December 10, 2022

The details

“Duke University Hospital REFUSED to conduct Yulia’s kidney transplant surgery because she is not vaccinated. A horrible injustice in itself, now the Hicks family must pay for out-of-state travel and lodging expenses for not only Yulia and her mother but also her potential donor!

"The transplant process is not easy nor quick. Between the numerous pre-surgery tests, the procedure itself, recovery, and the years of regular appointments, the whole endeavor is now financially IMPOSSIBLE for the large Hicks family,” Emily Grace said in an online fundraiser for the girl.

“Today we were told that Yulia cannot have a transplant at Duke even if we have a live donor for her because of our refusal of the HPV and Covid vaccines. The HPV is new, we just learned of it yesterday. So here we sit contemplating our next steps," Chrissy Hicks confirmed in the report.

DUKE University hospital denies kidney transplant for unvaccinated 14-year-old Yulia Hicks due to CDC's baseless COVID recommendations. Yulia's mother Chrissy Hicks joins Tucker to react... pic.twitter.com/P8PX2fCmB3

— Martin Golobic (@martinggmartin) December 11, 2022

New laws needed

Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) is leading a group of House Republicans in a new act to stop the concern called Stop Arduous Vaccine Enforcement (SAVE) Act.

"It is unimaginable that organ transplant centers would deny American citizens life-saving medical procedures solely for being unvaccinated against COVID-19," Cline said in a statement.

"The SAVE Act ensures that no one is denied an organ transplant or donation based on their vaccination status. Getting vaccinated is a personal choice and should not be mandated. This legislation is not anti-vaccine, it's about making sure individuals get the treatment they need," he added.

Rep. Ben Cline is introducing the Stop Arduous Vaccine Enforcement (SAVE) Act to prevent the organ transplant centers from denying unvaccinated Americans the service to donate or receive an organ.#CovidVaccine @neema_rp @srussolillo @vanbadham @thejimjamshttps://t.co/jxX4OKIw4C

— Truth Pact (@TheTruthPact) February 2, 2022

Vaccine discrimination

The situation is one of many that needs to be corrected as vaccine enforcement has moved beyond prevention to making health procedures worse for people in need of life-changing surgeries.

A positive example is found in the national defense bill that was passed last week in the House that will end the vaccine mandate for U.S. military members if it moves through the Senate and is signed by the president.

The concern over COVID-19 is important, but it should not stop medical professionals from helping those in need of other needed surgeries.