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Volume 357:209-213 July 19, 2007 Number 3 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Although the numbers of organ donors and transplantations in the United States have more than doubled over the past 20 years (see line graph), the demand for organs continues to dwarf the supply. In 2006, there were about 29,000 solid-organ transplantations; as of June 2007, there were about 97,000 people on waiting lists for organ transplantation.

View larger version (30K):   Organ Donors and Transplantations in the United States, 1988–2006. Data are from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

 
About three of every four organs that are transplanted are recovered from deceased donors. The most rapid increase in the rate of organ recovery from . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Source Information

Dr. Steinbrook (rsteinbrook@attglobal.net) is a national correspondent for the Journal.

An interview with Francis Delmonico, chief of transplant services at Massachusetts General Hospital and medical director of the New England Organ Bank, and Michael Grodin, professor of health law, bioethics, and human rights at the Boston University School of Public Health can be heard at www.nejm.org.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Truog, R. D. (2008). Consent for Organ Donation -- Balancing Conflicting Ethical Obligations. NEJM 358: 1209-1211 [Full Text]