Kidney transplant disparities persist for patients with developmental disabilities

The promise of equal access to life saving kidney transplants remains unfulfilled for many patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), despite the passage of antidiscrimination laws in 40 U.S. states. A new study from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, reveals that these legal protections have not translated into meaningful change in clinical practice.

Researchers examined Medicare data from 2013 to 2023 and found that patients with IDD were evaluated for kidney transplants 22% less often and received transplants 38% less often than their peers without disabilities. The study specifically focused on individuals with end stage kidney disease, a population covered by Medicare regardless of age.