Adeline Deal, Heart Transplant Candidate, Initially Denied Listing At Cincinnati Children’s Over Vaccines; Policy Waived

Teen With Rare heart Conditions Reinstated On Transplant List After Vaccine Policy Reversal
November 10, 2025 — by Transplant News

USA: A teenage girl from Indiana with two rare cardiac conditions has been at the center of a high-profile transplant dispute after initially being denied placement on the heart transplant list at Cincinnati children’s Hospital because she had not received flu and COVID vaccines. Her mother, Janine Deal, described that moment as a devastating low point for the family when hospital policy appeared to block lifesaving surgery.

In the months that followed, clinicians agreed to waive the hospital’s vaccination requirement for the patient’s individual case after discussions with the family. Physicians told the family that a transplant recipient will be immunosuppressed for life and explained the infectious risks, but for this patient they permitted an exception. The girl was scheduled for a transplant in October, a procedure that ultimately did not proceed, and she remains under continuous home care with a permanent line leading to her heart and intravenous medication that must be changed every 48 hours.

The case has drawn political attention for the family. They received a letter from the White House and have cited a family tie to Vice President Vance. Living in Indiana, they are backing legislation in the Ohio State House that would prohibit hospitals from refusing operations on the basis of claimed religious convictions, arguing that vaccination decisions should remain with patients and families. Cincinnati children’s Hospital declined to comment on individual patient matters but previously issued a statement noting the critical role of vaccines in preventing life-threatening infections in transplant recipients and saying such decisions are made through provider-family discussions.

For now, the transplant remains the central focus of the Deal family’s life. The patient is reportedly back on the hospital’s transplant list and continues to receive intensive home medical care while the family and clinicians navigate the clinical risks, timing, and next steps for a potential heart transplantation.