A Historic Milestone: The United States Reaches One Million Organ Transplants

One million. On September 9, 2022, the United States reached a historic milestone: one million organ transplants since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954. When I saw that number, I felt two things at once — pride in what we've built, and frustration that we haven't built it faster. After a family member needed a kidney transplant, this became personal for me. One million transplants represents nearly seven decades of medical innovation and selfless donation. But it also represents a system that still lets 17 people die every day waiting.

The Journey to One Million

The first successful organ transplant — a kidney from one identical twin to another — was performed by Dr. Joseph Murray at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston in 1954. Murray later won the Nobel Prize for this work. Since then, transplant medicine has expanded to include hearts, livers, lungs, pancreases, intestines, and even faces and hands. The first 500,000 transplants took roughly 50 years; the second 500,000 took just 17 years, reflecting dramatic increases in donation and transplant rates.

"One million transplants is a testament to the extraordinary generosity of organ donors and their families. Each number represents a life saved and a family transformed." — HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson

Celebration and Sobering Reality

While the milestone is worth celebrating, it sits right next to a sobering reality: over 100,000 Americans remain on the organ transplant waiting list. In 2022, roughly 6,000 people died while waiting for an organ. The gap between supply and demand has narrowed in recent years thanks to increased deceased donation, but it remains significant — particularly for kidneys, which account for over 80% of the waiting list. This isn't just a medical gap — it's a policy gap.

The Donors Behind the Numbers

Behind every transplant is a donor — and often a grieving family that made the decision to give the gift of life. Deceased donors contributed the majority of organs over the past seven decades, but living donors have played an increasingly important role. In 2022, living donors accounted for roughly 6,500 of the approximately 42,000 transplants performed.

"We celebrate one million transplants, but we won't stop until no one dies waiting. The next million must come faster." — Donate Life America

YCOD's Message

We at YCOD celebrate the one million milestone, but I'm keeping my eyes firmly on the work ahead. One million transplants proves the system can save lives at scale. Now we need the policy changes to match that potential — starting with opt-out legislation in New York through Bill A07954. Changing the default saves lives. I won't stop pushing until no American dies waiting for an organ that could have been available. The system, not individuals, is what needs to change.