US sees record number of organ donations, transplants in 2015

Driven by rising donations, the number of US organ transplant in 2015 topped 30,000 for the first time, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
In statement, the organization said the 30,000 mark was passed in mid-December and a total of 30,973 transplants were performed last year.
“This landmark achievement is a testament to the generosity of the American public to help others through donation, and their trust in the transplant system to honor their life-saving gift,” said Betsy Walsh, OPTN president.
A three-year trend of record-breaking numbers
The record-breaking figure represents a rise of almost 4.9 percent over the previous year, and it continues a three-year trend of record numbers. Around 81 percent of the transplants included organs from deceased donors, who can donate several organs, while 19 percent were from living donors.
Multiple months in 2015 had all-time monthly records for organ donation from deceased individuals, with July having highest-ever total at 848 donors. Furthermore, the ratio of African-American and Hispanic deceased donors rose from 2014 to 2015. In 2015, more than 16 percent of deceased donors were African-American and more than 13 percent were Hispanic. Caucasian donors were greater over the previous year, but fell as a percentage of all donors from 66.5 percent in 2014 to 65.8 percent in 2015.
The number and percentage of African-American and Hispanic transplant recipients rose considerably. Last year, nearly 22 percent of transplant recipients were African-American and almost 16 percent were Hispanic. African-American and Hispanic candidates account for a substantial percentage of the national waiting list for kidney transplants, which is the most often needed organ type. The number and percentage of Caucasian transplant recipients dropped somewhat in 2015 when compared to 2014.
“We work every day to give as many people as possible an opportunity for renewed life and health through transplantation,” Walsh said. “These trends are encouraging, and they make a huge difference not only for transplant recipients but for many more people whose lives they touch. But we have much more work to do to meet the needs of more than 121,000 men, women and children who continue to wait for a transplant.”
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