COLUMBUS, Ohio — People with intellectual or developmental disabilities face disadvantages at multiple stages of the kidney transplant process, according to research by Ohio State University professors Brittany Hand and Austin Schenk. The study found that patients with disabilities were significantly less likely to be evaluated for a transplant. Among those who were evaluated, they were nearly 40% less likely to receive one, the researchers reported. The findings point to unequal access despite laws intended to prevent disability-based discrimination. Forty states, including Ohio, have such laws governing organ transplants, but the study found no evidence that the legislation had reduced the disparity. “Patients are falling through the cracks” at more than one point in the transplant process, Hand said. Gary Tonks, a longtime disability advocate with the Arc of Ohio, said the results reflect what he has observed over decades. A person’s diagnosis or disability label, he said, should not determine access to medical procedures. Schenk, a transplant surgeon, said the process of becoming eligible for an organ waitlist is extensive and complex, which can make discrimination difficult to identify and document. Patients may also need different kinds of support to navigate the health care system, he said. The researchers said improving access will require more than laws on the books. They called for greater transparency, stronger oversight and more consistent data collection to identify where patients are excluded and address gaps in care. Hand said better information could help target specific stages of the process so all patients have an equal chance. Tonks said he hopes the findings raise awareness and prompt lawmakers to consider strengthening protections.