Why More Than 100,000 Americans Are Waiting For Organs

There are more than 100,000 people in the United States waiting for an organ transplant, and they could be waiting a while. A little more than 50% of people waiting for an organ will receive one within five years because of the shortage of organs available. The organ donation system in the U.S. is designed to save as many lives as possible without wasting available organs, but there are built-in inequalities that affect who has access. People of color, people of lower socioeconomic status and women receive transplants at a lower rate and are also more likely to wait longer for an organ than patients with similar medical issues. The medical community has been working on ways to increase the supply by using live donors for organs like kidneys, organs from animals and even mechanical organs. Watch the video above to learn how the U.S. organ transplant system works and what we can do to increase supply while decreasing inequality.
» Subscribe to CNBC: cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC
» Subscribe to CNBC TV: cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision
About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more.
Connect with CNBC News Online
Get the latest news: www.cnbc.com/
Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Facebook: cnb.cx/LikeCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Twitter: cnb.cx/FollowCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Instagram: cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC
#CNBC
Why More Than 100,000 Americans Are Waiting For Organs

[@mikeayers8951]

I donated my brother's organs, he saved 6 people's lives after he took his own.

[@heinousanus9352]

Good deal then.

[@redbloodedbutterfly]

I'm sorry for the loss of your brother. Thank you for saving the lives of six others.

[@Kami84]

Wow. I guess it at least gives some semblance of something positive out of a terrible situation. I’m sorry for your loss 😢.

[@marcellaricher8296]

That is a beautiful thing!!

[@B86432]

should be paying families for their loved ones donated organs because you charge the recipients insurance over 50,000$

[@tristanrodenhauser5267]

I remember hearing about the bill for the donator before and it’s nuts. They don’t like to put that info out there though.

[@RyanBlockb5]

I feel sorry for the ladies uncle. She donated her kidney to a stranger but he's still waiting. And to answer your obvious questions, no and I'm selfish.

[@LeeeroyJenkins]

Now we know. Save your Kidneys for relatives or you’re getting scammed. (I’m not saying don’t donate if you want to. I’m just saying don’t give it up to someone it won’t match with, otherwise you’ll get scammed like the woman)

[@RyanBlockb5]

@Cherished Cat Lover you missed something. She couldn't donate to her uncle because they are not a match. But because she did donate to a stranger, her uncle was supposed to be bumped up the waiting list.

[@CaraMarie13]

I'll keep my kidney. If someone in my family or a close friend ever needs it, I'll do it in a heartbeat but not for a stranger when i don't know what my recovery period would be.

[@emman100]

My thoughts exactly 😂

[@4kwalkingtravel576]

Everybody was thanking me for donating liver for my mom, but i always raised this question what if it was someone stranger, could i have do it ?

[@Misshughestrm]

Organ donation is terrifying. Growing up in the opiate crisis, i have seen some horror stories. You have to have a heartbeat to donate a heart. If my heart is beating im not dead yet. There is no anesthesia used, many coma patients that do wake up describe and remember what happened around them. I don't want my last memory to be open heart surgery with no anesthesia. This is why im not an organ donor, its not all kittens and roses. Living donation for liver and kidneys, however, is a great alternative for procurement of those organs. If I'm in a coma, let me wake up. Don't pull my plug.

[@bythepricklingofmythumb7628]

I find it fascinating that average people can’t get organs yet wealthy people and celerities always seem to be able to find a match fairly quickly even those who have a history of drug and alcohol abuse which is supposed to disqualify you from the transplant list.

[@DavidKen878]

Like who?

[@perturbedxtirade7428]

​@@DavidKen878 George soros

[@DavidKen878]

@@perturbedxtirade7428 Who?

[@mmason9836]

Politicians also don't wait.

[@matthewchan8753]

Make it so that if you want to be a donor recipient, you need to be a donar as well or else be put at the bottom of the waiting list. Screw individuals that freely take but dont give the minimum.

[@ImThatGuy00]

People who get an organ transplant are immune compromised and would not be viable donors for other people.

[@matthewchan8753]

@@ImThatGuy00 If you are immunocompromised, you can still give your organs after you die (Determined by OPO.) Also it does not matter if you died by drug overdose, are a smoker, or unhealthy. You can choose to give your organs/tissue for reaserch purposes and not singularly organ transplantation

[@brownedward93]

I agree I'm an organ donor it's on my driver's license. You should only get what you are willing to give.

[@JP-qm5ec]

You don't need two kidneys? Your heart will disagree. The brainwashing is strong. Don't skip human anatomy class.

[@merieljoseph5555]

"You don't need two kidneys".. 😅I do. I would def donate for a loved one but not just because. She should be compensated for the donation because her uncle will still pay full price.

[@Student0Toucher]

That girl acting like donating your organ is no big deal

[@BionicPig95]

Because it’s really not

[@mvpcilo2268]

That girl was screwed out of her kidney. WTF

[@alexrodriguez6373]

3:57 that’s freaking weird. But the vp Cheney gets one immediately

[@marquisstrongchild7535]

When you give my uncle a kidney, I will donate mine.

[@augiegirl1]

13:27 This issue was addressed in the 2nd episode of this season of “The Good Doctor” (which aired on Oct. 10th).

[@ruthperez7329]

Universal health care 🙏🏼 Don’t think you will never need a transplant...fight for a better system. It can be done.

[@konigstiger3252]

How does communists health care get you more organs?

[@4.0gpa44]

Most people in universal health care systems face even longer lines.

[@ruthperez7329]

@@4.0gpa44 That’s absolutely false. Look at Spain, number 1 on organ donation and transplants system worldwide. Most of the patients don’t have to wait years. But I guess you sre not open to facts.

[@Whitneypyant]

@@ruthperez7329That might be false in Spain but in Canada I hear is about 25 weeks

[@SilentShadow07]

I’m a motorcyclist so I’m automatically an organ donor 😂

[@marcossoria2148]

Universal healthcare for all

[@JoyCh155]

I have a connective tissue disorder. I'd donate to someone with the same mutations as me (sister, aunt and mom) but otherwise let's not get into that can of worms. Respect those that donate to the same level as those who can't.

[@Ben-Perlin]

The easiest solution is to make the consent box on our driver's licenses actually compatible with markers/pens instead of a surface that wipes off no matter how hard I try to write my consent. Or just copy it from my dmv forms I like in Tennessee and would like that fixed

[@darshilmashru8479]

Or, just take the forms online.

[@BionicPig95]

Move somewhere else.

[@mrfreelego4281]

The girl that donated got screwed, and sorry to say, yes you do need 2 kidneys, that's why nature gave you 2. In regards to the UNOS CEO, please update yourself in regards to organ transportation. We currently have liver, lung and heart pumps that allow the organ to survive in a physiological state for more than 24 hrs. So the era of chucking organs in a ice chest and racing to the hospital before they go bad is loooooong gone.

[@BeverlySummers10]

Luckily, I live in Canada and the only bill I see after my liver transplant is for my vitamins.

[@sashamoore9691]

Luckily, Canada has a shortage of doctors that are now practicing elsewhere such as USA bc it pays far more, and leaving more Canadians without healthcare, or exceptionally long wait times…. Go canada

[@jupiter452]

How much did they or insurance pay for the organ itself to the organization/hospital/comany? Lets say for a liver or pancreas?

[@richardshagrin8565]

They would rather have a piano than an organ.

[@olgaycelik2631]

Where can i find this video's script?

[@MsSarcasticity]

Set up a system where people can donate their organs for compensation.

[@ChateauHomeE62]

They should get half of the many millions of dollars the organ industry makes off of the very much alive person without fully anesthitizing them, that comes out of their pockets, a half pay cut!

[@sirus312]

Transmedics gang it’s our time!

[@Tribuneoftheplebs]

Cant work for many months after donating.. Will you pay people back for that?

[@James-kj7ek]

I hate the fact that we can not sell our own organs. I would gladly sell my kidney (in pristine condition may I have you) to the highest bidder. I could finally afford a damn house.

[@victoralejandrotrimmerestr3672]

the highest bidder wont be the person that really needs it the most, rich people would hoard organs in case they need them, leaving low and middle classes to not get organs at all

[@feliciafelicia6965]

My family did an internal contest for my step mom. From that experiment I will say that doesn't work. She's on ger 3rd kidney now

[@LeeeroyJenkins]

@@victoralejandrotrimmerestr3672 You can’t hoard organs. You have 24 hours to use it.

[@victoralejandrotrimmerestr3672]

@@LeeeroyJenkins ik, but rich people would continuously buy them, no one who needs it would be able to compete

[@LeeeroyJenkins]

@@victoralejandrotrimmerestr3672 but they wouldn't. They wouldn't waste money on organs the won't use. They would just buy 1 organ for 2 million dollars when they finally need it instead of 100k per day reserving organs they won't use.

[@Ruan_Wanvi]

My kidneys hurt for 14 minutes straight.

[@feyfey6874]

Hospital gets a big name doc gets a big shot name! Donor suffers recipients suffers

[@saulgoodman2018]

As usual, have to make it a race issue? They are different factors in it.

[@heinousanus9352]

I thought we're already underway with the organ growing stuff. 🤔

[@USA50_]

I do not see how this is medically necessary (for every case) at the exorbitant price mentioned

[@miscellaneouscogitations7322]

This is such a complex issue 😶... This video is just a drop in tye bucket, but thank you for making it. Also, thank God for my functioning kidneys, because yikes

[@4kwalkingtravel576]

while doing tests for liver transplant , i met another donor who give his sister Kidney! GOD i still remember his depressed face Yet brave.

[@gillypuente1794]

Here's the solution. Allow people to be paid for donating their organs. Why would I donate something of value without being compensated for it? INTRODUCE A PROFIT MOTIVE

[@Andres-qw1de]

I agree

[@Unwrap597]

thats exactly why they dont add monetary value so as to prevent extorsion of poor people or desperate people. ex a parent can unconsentually sell one of their child's organ to spend it on whatever; homeless people can be taken advantage of if the intensions are bad or manipulative. although there are numerous benefits of doing it, they would most likely not want to pay you for your service if in future your organ never got to help anyone (50/50). surrogacy for example the woman paid 50-60 k for surrogacy(the woman was of actual use for that time period). how many woman would do it if they were not compensated for their time. i know i didnt make a solid point but the best solution is cloning our organs and use them in need.

[@gidd]

So charge the recipients who might be in need and lack finances

[@gillypuente1794]

@@gidd That doesnt even make sense

[@Acteaon]

Right. I agree. But then one wouldn’t be donating, they’d be selling. But whatever right.

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video

[@smzig]

I will gladly donate my organs if the hospital, doctors, medical industry, etc., all donates their time, expertise, and care to the recipient. Otherwise, if the medical industry is making money then give me or my estate my cut. Either everyone is donating or everyone is profiting. No cutting out the one making it all possible.

[@CornellSandifer]

Well people still remember that scandal when a Rich Saudi individual cut the line with money to get an organ, I removed the donor card from behind my license. Why it takes so long for the poor you mean right?

[@WJWeber]

If anything it was the hospital. But what you need the organs now if they are viable hahaha

[@CornellSandifer]

@@WJWeber No I take care of myself in the best shape of my life but been body building 35 years now so I should be

[@WJWeber]

@@CornellSandifer I was saying you still don’t want to give your organs away because people can cheat any system. I just don’t like that. Also congrats. 35 years is a long time but I do know body building is not always healthy. Wish you the best bro

[@XxAssassinYouXx]

Why not pay people for their organs that you can live without one such as kidney. Or even pay them for an organ that they can't live without. Probably not the best solution, but it'll help with the wait times. At I think.

[@djdavisiscool]

I'm using both of mine

[@perrojoshua]

Nice.

[@do8842]

I would love to donate my body organs😊

[@mirumotsuyasuke8327]

Kind of leachy with the racial disparities.

[@Brownyman]

For all its problems Iran has a shockingly effective paid market in organs; low costs and super short waiting lists.

[@Truth-qe6sf]

How do you know it? And how can we get kidney?

[@lowbudgetmic]

Organ donors is a hot topic and high demand in the blakc market... can start there. 😮

[@crazy9932]

I know with allot of bootstrappers they think people should donate for profit..

[@AnonymousanonymousA]

This is the most disrespectfully ignorant audacious racket

[@topbossful]

The fact that the doctors and nurses and the insurance company themselves get paid why don’t the people that donate the actual organ get something out of it as well

[@mvpcilo2268]

Greed

[@nativerights5420]

During Obama's administration they passed a Bill stating you can't get on the donor list if your so old but God forbid Biden or bush or Clinton needed a new heart they would be on the top of the list...

[@penguindiego]

for 100k you can have my kidney

[@kthmrc..3460]

It is a good cause and a shady business

[@kthmrc..3460]

@@sburt1998 Hi Spencer, very sorry. Not the facilities per se, but outside influences and dark money. Organs are a world wide,business..

[@TrueEnergizerBunnies]

I think part of the problem is that organs dont last forever. Once you get a transplant, that organ is only going to last so long before you need another transplant. Maybe its a few years, maybe a few decades. But it wont last a lifetime. So you have previous transplant people competing with new transplant people. And then even if you do donate, alot of transplants dont take and the recipient's body rejects it and the organ dies. Now that person is back on the list to compete with everyone else. Also most people need kidneys. A leading cause of people needing new kidneys is diabetes. Alot of people are born with diabetes or genetically inherit it, but ALOT of people get it because of horrible lifestyle choices and obesity which is becoming a bigger and bigger problem in the western world. So now you have all these new people needing transplants that could have prevented this from happening but chose not to. Also there's ALOT of things that disqualify you from being a donor. If you dont die in a hospital, you cant donate. If you die before they can get you hooked up to machines to keep the organs alive, you cant donate. If they cant find a match, your organs go to waste. I think smoking, drugs, alcohol, and marijuana use disqualify you too as do some medications and many health issues. So yeah alot of people may opt to donate but only a few of them are going to be under the exact right circumstances to even qualify to donate.

[@jumbomuffin1316]

Survival of the fittest

[@down_by_the_bay]

can’t we just work on 3D printing organs

[@willjoful]

Body snacking is a big problem.

[@lucascampbelleastcta5578]

I have an extra healthy kidney. Why can't I sell it? I think $50,000 is a fair market value. Does anybody need one?

[@John_Smith_86]

Just pay for it, and you will have plenty of organs

[@houchi69]

Let me guess...privatised Health insurance.

[@Costkwind66]

7:17

[@amazon4716]

GmO some pigs... (obviously destroyed after use) Harvest to save lives.

[@houchi69]

If the waitlist isn't based on the order of entry, then it's not a waitlist.

[@mikerock8177]

Just have to be rich

[@Cherrt-pq4lt]

It's unfortunate that i am thinking of selling my kidney or my liver lobe

[@ephoenix7]

The elephant in the room is that we have an opt-in system instead of an opt-out system like most of the world

[@WrongThink_]

Our government can't even properly oversee a opt-out for telemarketing phone calls that they guaranteed us would work.... an opt out organ donation program would be disastrous...... Also I wouldn't say MOST of the world has an opt out system it's more like "a mandatory offering"

[@emwave100]

You can thank the "Feds" and the local quacks ;-)

[@erasmoruiz642]

He only got those organs so fast because he’s white. 😂

[@chaddesjarlais4447]

Because were not China...

[@alphacentaury]

No donating any organs. If you didn't take care of your organs, or your health, its your problem.

[@alexrodriguez6373]

6:24 lol that happens to French people when they just give birth to a bby. That’s not a deal lol getting gas back ugh give me a car.

[@nondisclosure2848]

We know the truth.$

[@mvpcilo2268]

NON PROFIT? Im sure these $100000+ surgeries dont make profit.

[@DavidKen878]

The organizations that handle the organ procurement are non profit. Not the hospitals.

[@AnonymousanonymousA]

Bye bye social security

[@justinmocio4618]

Squid games

[@marquisstrongchild7535]

🎵🎵Mugunghwa kkoci pietseumnida🎵🎵 😂

[@muhammedet9203]

0

[@jackcross5446]

We don't have Uighurs, like in China.

[@salehhani3456]

Not even funny

[@jackcross5446]

@@salehhani3456 It is funny, and not funny, at the same time. Sarcastic or dark humor is used to bring light to many tragic situations. Most won't even talk about it. Just waiting for our brothers and sisters to disappear from history, like they never existed.

[@ASK-ko9qx]

Ok another Falun Gong conspiracy theorist.

[@Celluarexpress]

They always have to make it a race issue. And they throw it on towards the end as usual.

[@Lamiishere]

Cringe Af 🎃

[@gillypuente1794]

Only thing thats cringe here is you

[@iamthanos554]

I'd like to sell a kidney 🙃.... If you're interested let me know... It's high quality 🙌

[@jaymzgaetz2006]

I took myself off of the organ donor list because the medical industry has priced mankind out while raking in tax revenue. The final insult is when they profit off of your body parts. I also never donate to medical charities or donate blood. We've given too much to this industry. What's the point of life saving medical breakthroughs that nobody can afford. If more people did the same as me maybe we could change it. Until then they will receive no help from me.

[@LeeeroyJenkins]

They just charge more. Supply and demand.

[@DDRWakaLaka]

it's because i eat most of them

[@Random_characters_username]

I’m a donor on my ID but as long as I’m alive you not getting my organs

[@myelite100]

For the men to say someone dead no wrong that person dead because of in accident or something

[@DDRWakaLaka]

i would donate my kidney but I'm an alkie

[@rainbowonthemoon8450]

#SELLERSAGAINSTFAMINE

[@PsyQoBoy]

That's why the black market is so lucrative. In some places people are kidnapped and have their organs stolen because people pay big money.