Racial disparities in kidney transplant

The kidney, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is among the six most commonly transplanted organs in the United States. Recent research indicates, however, that Black patients encounter significantly more difficulty in receiving a kidney for transplantation. The reasons for the disparity are not completely clear, but one major factor is that Black patients are less likely to be moved from inactive to active status on the transplant waiting list after initial listing. Researchers suggest that better coordination between kidney dialysis units and transplant centers would help solve the problem.