Office of Minority Health

African Americans make up the largest group of minorities in need of an organ transplant. In 2014, African Americans made up 12.7 percent of the national population.

• The number of organ transplants performed on black Americans in 2015 was only 17% of the number of black Americans currently waiting for a transplant. The number of transplants performed on white Americans was 31% of the number currently waiting.
• While 29.8% of the total candidates currently waiting for transplants are black American, they comprised 13.5% of organ donors in 2015.
• In 2015, 73 percent of donor organs from African Americans were from deceased donors.
• Although the total number of White Americans on organ transplant waiting lists is about 1.4 times greater than that of black Americans, the number of candidates waiting for a kidney transplant is almost the same between blacks and whites.
• Black Americans have higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure than white Americans. These conditions are known to put the patient at risk for organ failures.

Source: HRSA U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of July 12, 2016.
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/*

Source: HRSA U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of July 12, 2016.
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/

Source:  HRSA U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of July 12, 2016.
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/

* OPTN data is updated monthly. The OMHRC data & statistics for this section will be updated biannually.