Racial Bias May Affect Who Gets Picked for Transplants

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Researchers in Arizona asked 422 doctors, nurses and other hospital decision-makers to look at a pool of hypothetical patients, both black and white, and decide which should be referred for a heart transplant. The hypothetical patients had the same medical and social histories; the only difference was race.

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When the survey participants evaluated the cases individually, researchers found few differences in recommendations for transplants due to race.

When a group of 44 participants gathered to discuss the patients, in a setting similar to actual advanced therapy selection meetings, researchers discovered racial bias.

”African-American race negatively influenced the decision- making process for heart transplants, especially during discussions among health care providers,” said lead author Khadijah Breathett.

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The health professionals participating in the survey ”perceived black patients as less healthy than whites, less likely to comply with follow-up care recommendations and less trustworthy,” according to the news release.

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