Legal · WA
Seattle Hospital, UNOS Sued Over Race-Adjusted Kidney Function Formula Delaying Transplant Eligibility
A lawsuit filed July 21, 2026 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington alleges Swedish Medical Center and the United Network for Organ Sharing used a race-based kidney function formula that delayed the plaintiff's transplant waitlist eligibility by six years. The complaint challenges the use of race-adjusted eGFR calculations in determining transplant eligibility. The case follows broader clinical and policy shifts away from race-based algorithms in kidney function assessment. The outcome could affect transplant referral protocols and eligibility determinations for Medicaid beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease.
Why it mattersMedicaid covers a substantial share of dialysis and transplant patients, and state agencies and managed care plans that delegate or oversee transplant referrals may face compliance or liability exposure if race-based clinical algorithms are found unlawful or discriminatory in organ allocation.