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Donation by the Numbers

The United States has the highest organ donation rates of most countries in the world. Two-thirds of all OPOs (38 total) set all-time records in 2022 for donors recovered in a single year, according to official statistsics from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Just in the last five years since 2018 transplants increased over 21% continuing a many year trend.. The OPO system continues to recover far more useable organs than more kidneys than are transplanted.

Studies have shown that as many as 20% of recovered kidneys were discarded because transplant centers would not use them. Transplant center practices must be scrutinized. The new regulations hold OPO’s responsible for discarded organs when OPO’s have no control once the organs are delivered to the centers.

OPO performance measures should be based on reliable data – ventilated hospital deaths and organ yield measures already in place. Instead, the new regulations use death certificates, which are unreliable when verified health records are available. Bad data will yield bad results. Results put OPO’s in jeopardy of being shut down or merged into larger OPO’s causing immediate chaos. Patients will be the ones who suffer.

More than 42,000 Lives Are Saved Each Year

42,889 transplants occurred in the U.S. in 2022. A number that has increased yearly (except for the COVID year of 2020). As of November 2023, according to the OPTN, 104,000 people are waiting for a transplant. The 63% waiting for a kidney are considered active patients, meaning they are ready for a transplant. There is no argument that improvements are needed. Traditionally, organs from donors with HIV, hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV) were considered too risky for transplanting despite negative serologic tests. Newer rapid, and accurate organs from high-risk donors can be screened for possible infections resulting in smaller infection risk. This could bring greater hope to HIV, HBV, and HCV patients waiting for a donor organ. Organs that come from doors with similar afflictions.

The ability to preserve and transport organs also add to the viability of usable organs for transplant. The use of organs that were once considered sub-optimal can decrease the gap between supply and demand.