Professor in the Division of Transplantation, Dr. Arthur Matas, details the availability crisis transplant candidates face despite an increase in kidney donation over the last 20 years.

For eligible candidates with end-stage kidney disease, a kidney transplant is the best treatment option, providing them with a longer life expectancy and improved quality of life. However, many approved transplant candidates never actually receive a transplant. 

"A consequence of this organ shortage is that each year, many candidates die while waiting, and many others are removed from the waiting list because of becoming too sick to receive a transplant," writes Dr. Matas. 

Read the full JAMA Surgery article to learn more about the organ shortage and the immediate need for innovative approaches to increase donation rates.