Since Joseph E. Murray, MD (shown here) and his colleagues transplanted a kidney from Ronald Herrick into his identical twin, Richard, in 1954, organ transplants have evolved from experimental procedure to common therapy for many serious conditions.
The number of organ transplants in the United States is fast approaching one half million.
Of these, approximately 382,000 organ transplants were from deceased organ donors; and around 106,000 were from living donors.¹
At the close of 2006 (the latest available data), there were 173,339 people who were living in the United States with a functioning organ from a transplant.²
¹ OPTN/UNOS, January 1, 1998 through the first week of August 2010
² 2008 OPTN / SRTR Annual Report: Transplant Data 1998-2007
Each year, thousands of people in the United States receive life-saving and life-improving tissue and cornea transplants.
Tissues include skin, heart valves, bone, ligaments, veins, and arteries, and are donated from individuals who have experienced cardiac death or brain death.
One tissue donor can save or improve the lives of up to 50 people.