January 11, 2024, Richmond, Virginia
More Black, non-Hispanic patients are receiving organ transplants than ever before.
Today, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) announced another record year for organ transplants, announcing that thanks to the selfless and generous donations of donors, 46,632 transplants were performed in 2023. did. Additionally, 10,824 black patients received transplants last year, an increase from the previous year.
UNOS is the nation’s organ donation and transplant system under federal contract and oversight, managing the national transplant waiting list that matches patients with life-saving organs. Masu. UNOS tracks the number of transplants performed for each organ and identifies trends in organ donation and transplantation.
Last year we recorded 13 times.th The number of deceased donors continues to be record high. Additional milestones achieved include:
- More than 16,000 people became deceased donors, making 39,679 deceased donor transplants possible. This will increase by nearly 9% from 2022.
- In 2023, 10,660 liver transplants were performed, the most in a single year.
- Donors aged 65 and older will increase by 30% from 2022, representing an increase in acceptance by the transplant community and medically more complex donors.
“It’s important to remember that these milestones aren’t just numbers. They’re real people who are able to go hiking with their spouses again or go on vacation with their loved ones again. ,” said CEO Dr. Maureen McBride. UNOS. “I would also like to pay tribute to the generous and dedicated donors who made these life-changing transplants possible. I am deeply grateful to each donor and As long as we remember the huge ramifications of their decisions, we know that we will never lose sight of our mission.”
The increase in transplant numbers in 2023 is the result of several initiatives to increase equity and improve patient access to transplants. These efforts were driven by the organ donation and transplant community and the Health Resources and Services Administration, the federal agency that oversees organ procurement. Transplant Network (OPTN). These policy updates and technology advances include: Exclude race from kidney function measurementsincreasing equity in lung transplants through continuous distribution, making it easier for transplant programs to filter organ donations, and ensuring that available organs are transplanted more quickly.
The number of life-saving and life-changing transplants performed increases each year due to the transplant community’s commitment to continuous system improvement. These improvements are needed to ensure each of her more than 103,000 patients on the country’s waiting list has a chance to receive a transplant.
UNOS continues to work with the organ donation and transplant community and the federal government to advance the Action Agenda, a series of reforms to improve the organ donation and transplant system. This includes accessing pre-waiting list data to improve equity and facilitating the transport of organs in commercial aircraft cabins to reduce the time it takes for organs to reach patients. This includes advocating for things. In addition, OPTN emergency response force Massive progress is being made to reduce organ waste.
“Thanks to our patients and donors, we are committed to working with the organ donation and transplant community and the government to strengthen the system,” McBride continued. “Then more patients will have access to high-quality, equitable transplant care.”
For more information on organ donation and transplant numbers, patients and donors in 2023, visit unos.org.
About United Network for Organ Sharing
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a nonprofit, charitable organization that serves as an Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) under contract with the federal government. OPTN helps create and define organ allocation and distribution policies that maximize the use of donated organs. This process involves continually evaluating new advances and discoveries so that policies can be adapted to best serve patients awaiting transplantation. All transplant programs and organ procurement organizations nationwide are OPTN members and are obligated to follow the policies established by OPTN regarding organ allocation.
