US initiatives to boost organ donation have had little effect, study finds

Policies adopted in the United States to boost organ donations over the past two decades have had little or no effect, researchers report in a new study.

Currently, about 79 000 patients in the US are on active waiting lists for organs, and more than 6000 patients die each year awaiting donation of a suitable organ. The gap between the demand for organs and supply is expected to grow as the US population ages and the prevalence of chronic disease rises.

In the study, the researchers looked at the effect of …