How many people die each year waiting for kidney transplants?

August 25, 2007 11:23 AM

How many people die each year waiting for kidney transplants?

I'm researching for an article on kidney transplantation. I know that there are about 70,000 people on the national waiting list for a kidney. I'm wondering how many of these people die in a given year. Does anyone know where I could find data on how many of these people died on the waiting list in 2006 or other recent years.

Thank you.

posted by JamesJD to Science & Nature (5 answers total)

"...according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Every day, more than 10 people die waiting for kidney transplants..." (It was the only result for Googling "die waiting for kidney transplants"; I stopped there without trying other searches.)
posted by daisyace at 11:43 AM on August 25, 2007

I would try contacting the National Transplant Society, OrganDonor.gov, or maybe the National Kidney Foundation to ask. My guess is that they keep track of statistics like the one you're asking after in order to encourage people to donate.
posted by bijou at 11:45 AM on August 25, 2007

Organdonor.gov gives 3,000 deaths per year. But it also claims only 55,000 waiting.

The National Kidney Foundation gives 3,916 deaths per year.

Not to be snarky, but those are both on the first page of google results for 'how many people die each year waiting for a kidney transplant.'
posted by jedicus at 11:48 AM on August 25, 2007

Response by poster: What is this Google machine?

Nice work people.
posted by JamesJD at 11:53 AM on August 25, 2007

Not a direct answer to your question, but Life Gift is the organ procurement organization that works with many hospitals and has lots of good information about organ donation including kidney transplantation. Might be a good resource for you.
posted by dog food sugar at 12:15 PM on August 25, 2007