How many people are waiting for a transplant? Who receives organs, and what organs are most needed? Scroll down to explore data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
Statistics at a Glance
One Donor Can Save Eight Lives.
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The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network maintains the national database of information about the candidate waiting list and transplant surgeries. You can build a custom report on their website to learn more about organ transplantation in the U.S.
There are currently over 109,000 people on the national transplant waiting list. Like America, the list is diverse – it includes people of every age, ethnicity, and gender. You can learn more about the numbers and see specific statistical breakdowns with Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network National Data.
Shared ethnicity is NOT a requirement for matching organ donors and recipients. Matches between donors and recipients of different ethnicities are very common.
Still, a more diverse donor registry gives ethnic minorities on the transplant waiting list a better chance to find a good donor match. Because the immune system markers used to match organ donors and recipients are inherited, people with rare markers are more likely to match someone from a similar ethnic background. Learn more about matching.
According to a sample of the U.S. population, 90% of adults support organ donation but only 50% are actually signed up as donors. Source: 2019 National Survey of Organ Donation Attitudes and Practices.
You’re never too old to save lives as a donor. One U.S. man gave the gift of life –and a liver – when he was 92 years old.
Some people choose to make a difference as living donors and donate certain organs or tissues while they’re still alive. Learn more about living donation.
Not everyone who registers as a donor is able to donate. In fact, only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for deceased organ donation.
That’s why so many willing donors are needed.
Learn more about the deceased donation process, or secure your chance to save lives by registering as a donor.
