A biased test kept thousands of Black people from getting a kidney transplant. It’s finally changing

By LAURAN NEERGAARD
AP Medical Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A racially biased test delayed Black patients from getting a kidney transplant and now more than 14,000 are part of a move to make amends. The U.S. transplant system ordered hospitals to quit using a test that made Black patients’ kidneys appear healthier than they really were. Next hospitals had to dig through years-old records to determine which patients should have been put on the transplant list sooner and give them credit for lost time. It’s part of a huge problem — formulas embedded in treatment guidelines, risk calculators and other medical decisions that put people of color at disadvantage.