Emerging Issues

The proportion of ESRD patients receiving a transplant within 3 years of ESRD (4-6) declined, reaching approximately 19 percent in 1999. This proportion is lower than the approximately 25 percent transplanted in 1990. This downward trend, observed in all racial and ethnic groups and in both men and women, is due to the insufficient number of organs suitable for transplantation. The number of deceased donor kidneys transplanted has been stable. However, the number of living (unrelated) kidneys transplanted has increased.²⁰ The critical shortage of organs for transplantation is the most important issue in transplantation and has prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to form an advisory group to explore all available means to address the issue.

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