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2023: Organ donors save record number of lives

The lifesaving gift of organ donation allowed tens of thousands of recipients to truly live again

Randall in hospital bed, hugging a heart-shaped red pillow
Shamekka sitting at bar with celebratory cake in front of her
Vicky and Zoe holding a cake in the shape of a liver
Mariela skydiving

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2023 in brief:

  • More than 46,000 organ transplants
  • More than 27,000 kidney transplants
  • More than 16,000 deceased organ donors
  • More than 10,000 Black transplant recipients
  • More than 10,000 liver transplants
  • More than 6,900 living organ donors
  • More than 4,000 heart transplants
  • More than 3,000 lung transplants

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2023: organ donors save record number of lives. Thank you, donors. Exceeded 46,000 lifesaving transplants total.* More than 10,000 Black transplant recipients.* More than 10,000 liver recipients.* *Based on OPTN data as of Jan. 10, 2024. Data subject to change based on future data submission or correction.
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Continuous improvement

As good as the U.S. organ transplantation system is, it needs to be even better to be able to serve the more than 100,000 people waiting for organs at any given time. UNOS is committed to driving continuous improvement to serve those patients and promote an ongoing increase in organ donation and transplants.

“We can do better, we must do better, and we will do better.”

Maureen McBride, Ph.D., UNOS CEO

Action Agenda

Actions to strengthen the U.S. organ donation and transplant system

Actions in progress

FAA: Organs back in the cabin?

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