The New York Times has created a visualization illustrating how patients are frequently skipped in the organ transplant system, despite the official waiting list. Using data from the United Network for Organ Sharing, the graphic highlights a case where a kidney that should have gone to the first person in line instead went to a recipient ranked 3,557th. The visualization underscores how hospitals and procurement organizations exercise discretion in allocation, often prioritizing convenience, institutional preferences, or implicit biases over strict medical urgency.
Visualizing the Organ Transplant System
