HEiTC Executive Chairman Al B. Sure! Calls on Dr. Oz to Prioritize Access to Transplants, Post-Surgery Care Ahead of CMS Nominee’s Confirmation Hearing

(New York, NY, March 13, 2025) – HEiTC, the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition – founded by Al B. Sure!, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Rachel Noerdlinger to expand access to donated organs and quality post-procedure care – today issued the following statement ahead of Dr. Mehmet Oz’s confirmation hearing to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The following statement can be attributed to HEiTC Executive Chairman Al B. Sure!:

Dr. Mehmet Oz, known for his innovations in the transplant field, is set to present his qualifications to oversee CMS before Congress. With over 30 years of hands-on clinical experience as a physician and as a professor emeritus of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, HEiTC hopes Dr. Oz will explain how he will advance crucial policies that benefit the transplant community. As he makes his case to enter public service, the entire transplant community desires to hear whether he will ensure access to life-saving organ transplants and quality post-procedure care.

As Dr. Oz addresses Congress, the urgency of the organ donor waiting list is starkly evident, with many lives hanging in the balance. We hope and pray that his expertise as a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon will drive improvements in transplant accessibility and post-operative care for the 100,000 Americans awaiting these lifesaving gifts.”

###