Is this Murder? Patients are being denied lifesaving treatments if they are not vaccinated

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“If physicians are considering not doing it because they think the patient is making a bad decision, we’re rewriting medical ethics and human rights. We cannot be in a position where healthcare workers become judgmental of their patients.” Kerry Bowman (Assistant Professor at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto)

Over the last few months, I have been hearing stories that I hoped were not true, but as the months, and weeks have gone on, I have received messages, emails on news reports that spoke of something unbelievable. Some unvaccinated individuals have reported being denied organ transplant surgeries , and doctors say this is because a patient’s chance of death is higher post-op, if they happen to contract COVID-19.

Other physicians however, are fearful for their own safety, and that of staff and patients.

“These are the types of risks that come with being a healthcare worker,” Kerry Bowman stated in an interview. “If you want no risks, you’d go work in a mall or something I guess.”

Let’s dig into this story a little bit. This couldn’t be justified by our government, could it? In 2022, There appeared to be a growing consensus among Canadian organ transplant specialists about requiring COVID-19 vaccination for patients looking to be placed on the wait-list for an organ donation.

That guidance, issued on January 9^th, 2022, followed months of debate among Canadian transplant organizations, who then urged any provincial and regional programs to be transparent if they choose to implement the rule.

Why? It’s all about trying to ensure the “best possible outcome” for the patients receiving a scarce and precious organ, experts say.

“We strongly support transplant program requirements for transplant candidates to receive COVID-19 vaccine prior to transplantation,” the Canadian Society of Transplantation said in updated guidance provided to the provincial organ donation organizations and regional transplant programs.

“After transplant surgery, patients are severely immunocompromised because of the life-long treatment to prevent rejection of the new organ. This means, transplant recipients are at much greater risk of complications and of dying if they get COVID-19,” said Ana Fernandes, spokesperson for the UHN.

“Life-saving organs are scarce, and all transplant programs follow strict criteria to ensure they are offered to patients with the highest need, but also with highest chance of a positive outcome,” Fernandes added.

So, how do we interpret this? Does this mean that individuals who are vaccinated have a higher chance of survival than a person who is unvaccinated. Where are the studies that prove that, especially when discussing the COVID-19 vaccine? I think that before I share some of the disturbing reports I found, I want to re-introduce the Hippocratic Oath.

The Hippocratic Oath is a historic ethical code that is traditionally taken by physicians, especially those in Western medicine. It is attributed to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often referred to as the “father of medicine.” The oath outlines the ethical principles and guidelines that physicians should adhere to in their practice.

The oath emphasizes several key principles, including:

Beneficence: A commitment to act in the best interest of patients and to prioritize their well-being and health.

Non-maleficence: A pledge to do no harm and to avoid actions that could potentially harm patients.

Confidentiality: A promise to keep patients’ personal and medical information confidential, maintaining their privacy and trust.

Integrity: A commitment to honesty and ethical behavior in interactions with patients and colleagues.

Autonomy: Respecting patients’ right to make their own decisions about their medical care and involving them in the decision-making process.

Justice: Treating all patients fairly and without discrimination, and providing care based on need rather than personal bias.

I want you to take special note of: Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Autonomy, and Justice when analyzing the next few reports, I have to share.

Sheila Annette Lewis tried to take her fight over COVID-19 vaccine requirements for organ transplants all the way to the Supreme Court . Sheila was diagnosed with a terminal disease in 2018 and was told she would not survive unless she received an organ transplant. She was placed on a transplant wait list in 2020 but was informed a year later she would need to get the COVID-19 vaccine first.

Sheila said taking the vaccine would offend her conscience and argued the requirement violated her Charter rights. The case was dismissed by an Alberta court, which said the Charter has no application to clinical treatment decisions. The Supreme Court also turned down her application for a hearing. Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Paul Belzil dismissed Sheila’s argument that her charter rights had been violated. He ruled the charter has no application to clinical treatment decisions and, in particular, has no application to doctors establishing criteria for organ transplantation. There is a publication ban on identifying the specific organ.

The former lawyer for Sheila Annette Lewis confirmed her death Friday.

“Ms. Lewis was a true believer in fighting for personal rights and freedoms,” said Allison Pejovic, who was in touch with her former client’s son.

Let’s move to our next story…

After being denied an organ transplant due to his COVID unvaccinated status, an Ontario man passed away — but not before healthcare professionals asked if they could harvest his organs. Garnet Harper, 35, died in May 2023, after being diagnosed with stage five kidney disease in February 2022. He died of a bleeding stroke during his sleep.

A twist to the story; two of Harper’s brothers were willing to donate their kidneys, but hospitals wouldn’t even consider it given the fact Harper wouldn’t reveal his vaccination status to them.

During Harper’s last moments alive, while on life support, his wife Meghan Harper was told by nurses at the hospital to expect a call from Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) — an organ donation agency. Apparently, healthcare professionals are advised to contact Trillium when they believe a dying patient is a suitable candidate.

“They call you while you’re sitting next to your dying loved one and they ask you if they can have his organs,” Harper’s wife shared in an interview. “Meanwhile, he wasn’t good enough to receive organs from them… I can’t describe the feeling.”

Probably the most heartbreaking case is the one that I found in Sydney, Australia. The parents of a Sydney teenager claimed that she was being denied lifesaving cancer treatment because she has not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Dazelle Peters, 16, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2020 and needs a lung transplant.

Her father Josh Peters said he was told by a surgeon at St Vincent’s Hospital that if his daughter did not get the vaccine she would be a “Major threat to everyone (in the hospital) who had done the right thing.”

The hospital spokesperson confirmed their “Policies and guidelines wouldn’t support transplantation” of an unvaccinated person. “Vaccination status against various infections is a critical part of this assessment in order to ensure optimal prospects of survival post-transplant,” a hospital spokesperson said.

The team at Global News asked every provincial and territorial college or medical council whether they’ve received complaints about doctors denying care to unvaccinated patients. Here are the responses:

• New Brunswick: “Less than 5.”
• Nova Scotia: “1 or 2.”
• British Columbia: Zero formal complaints but have heard concerns from patients.
• Alberta: Does not track this data.
• Quebec: Cannot disclose.
• Manitoba: Cannot disclose.
• Saskatchewan: Cannot disclose.
• Prince Edward Island: Cannot disclose.
• Ontario: 68 complaints and concerns in the last 3 months (includes complaints about unavailability of in-person care, not necessarily due to vaccination status.)
• Newfoundland and Labrador: No comment.
• Northwest Territories: Zero complaints
• Yukon Medical Council: Zero complaints.

The provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities have provided guidance to physicians that, using appropriate protection measures, they have an ethical obligation, and therefore cannot refuse to see patients who are not vaccinated, so what exactly is going on here. Is the death of these individuals considered murder? Is neglect of treatment that causes death not something we should be asking more questions about. What if this was your loved one; do they not have the right to live regardless of their decision regarding a vaccination that has been proven to cause more harm than good?

Something to think about community!