Organ Transplants and Asian Americans

Of the total candidates currently waiting for a transplant, 8.2% were non-Hispanic Asian Americans. Non-Hispanic Asian Americans received 5.8% of the organ transplants performed in 2024.¹
In 2024, non-Hispanic Asian Americans comprised 3.1% of organ donors. Of the organs recovered from non-Hispanic Asian Americans, 43.2% came from living donors as compared to 30.0% of the organs recovered from non-Hispanic whites.¹

Organ Transplants

U.S. Transplant Waiting List – Candidates by Race/Ethnicity
Organ	All Candidates	# of Non-Hispanic Asian Candidates	Non-Hispanic Asian % of All Candidates	# of Non-Hispanic White Candidates	Non-Hispanic White % of All Candidates
All Organs	114,997	9,452	8.2	44,278	38.5
Kidney	97,569	8,691	8.9	34,370	35.2
Liver	9,456	460	4.9	5,927	62.7
Heart	3,605	99	2.7	1,900	52.7
Lung	938	42	4.5	586	62.5

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of January 12, 2025.

Transplants in the United States by Recipient Race/Ethnicity, 2024
	Number	Percentage of Total 2024 Transplants
Non-Hispanic Asian	2,810	5.8
Non-Hispanic White	23,626	49.1
All Races/Ethnicities	48,137	100.0

Source: HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of January 12, 2025.

U.S. Organ Donors Recovered, 2024
Donor Type	# of All Donors	# of Non-Hispanic Asian Donors	Non-Hispanic Asian % of All Donors	# of Non-Hispanic White Donors	Non-Hispanic White % of All Donors
Living	7,030	325	4.6	4,794	68.2
Deceased	16,988	428	2.5	11,179	65.8
Total	24,018	753	3.1	15,973	66.5

Source: HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of January 12, 2025.

U.S. Organ Donors Recovered, Living vs Deceased, 2024
Donor Type	# of Non-Hispanic Asian Donors	% of All Non-Hispanic Asian Donors	# of Non-Hispanic White Donors	% of All Non-Hispanic White Donors
Living	325	43.2	4,794	30.0
Deceased	428	56.8	11,179	70.0
Total	753	100.0	15,973	100.0

Source: HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of January 12, 2025.

¹ HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of January 12, 2025. (back)

Last Edited: 03/20/2025