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U.S. surpassed 48,000 organ transplants in 2024

News provided by news direct2025-01-15

--News Direct--

Today, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) announced that 48,149 organ transplants were performed in 2024, according to data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). This is the first time the United States has ever performed more than 48,000 organ transplants in one year and represents a critical step in the nationwide effort to increase the number of lifesaving organ transplants while improving the system.

On average, the U.S. performed 132 transplants a day in 2024.

This lifesaving work was made possible thanks to the selfless gifts of life provided by 16,988 deceased donors and 7,030 living donors, as well as the support provided by so many donor families and the expertise of medical professionals across the country.

“Each transplant represents an individual, a family, a story, and a life saved or improved,” said UNOS CEO Maureen McBride, Ph.D. “Each transplant also represents a selfless decision made by a grieving family or an inspired living donor, and it is incumbent upon us to honor each and every one of those irreplaceable gifts. That means working together to enact substantive reforms that increase the total number of transplants and the number of recovered donor organs ultimately transplanted.”

UNOS continues to engage with Congress and other stakeholders and advocate for pragmatic policy changes that would benefit patients in need of transplants, which McBride outlined in a letter sent to the House Energy and Commerce Committee in December 2024 and was signed by nearly 70 donation and transplant professionals.

These proposals, which require Congressional action, include:

Mandating automated donor referrals to improve information sharing and ensure organ procurement organizations are alerted to every potential organ donor quickly and efficiently.
Mandating in-cabin airline transportation for organs to drastically reduce the likelihood that lifesaving organs are damaged, lost or delayed in transit.
Implementing a national, centralized, system-wide tracking system for unaccompanied organs to reduce delays, provide surgical teams with critical travel information, and produce data to drive additional improvements.
Incentivizing transplant hospitals to accept harder-to-place organs by compensating them at a higher rate through Medicare when they transplant more medically complex kidneys. The data suggests this change could prevent an estimated 4,000 deaths.

Taken together, this slate of reforms advanced by UNOS could result in a marked increase in both donor referrals and organ donors, a reduction in the number of organs that are not ultimately transplanted, and even more patients receiving the gift of life.

“We are humbled that our community’s efforts and the generosity of so many across the country has resulted in over 48,000 transplants in a single year, but there is more work to do, and we cannot be satisfied with the status quo,” McBride said. “We will continue our work to strengthen the system as long as there are patients waiting for a transplant.”

To learn more about UNOS’ recommendations, see UNOS’ Action Agenda.

About UNOS

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a nonprofit organization that serves the organ donation and transplant system and broader public health community through its work developing new technologies and initiatives, conducting data-driven research and analysis, providing expert consulting services, advocating for patients, and being a leader in bringing communities together to save lives.