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Organ Transplants

Organ transplant milestone: As US crosses 1 million mark, advances offer hope for millions more

Two lingering organ transplantation problems remain - supply and immunosuppressive medication.

Richard Herrick, 23, was facing certain death in 1954 when his identical twin, Ronald, agreed to give him a kidney.

Organ transplants had been contemplated since at least the time of the ancient Egyptians, but the idea was a fantasy. Richard's immune system, however, had no trouble accepting his brother's kidney, and he lived for eight years as the world's first successful organ transplant recipient.

Friday, the United States passed another milestone: 1 million successful solid-organ transplants since Herrick's. Most have been kidneys, followed by livers, hearts and lungs. 

"To have the ability and the science and the technology to transplant an organ from one person to another so that person has another chance to live is nothing short of a miracle," said Barry Massa, president of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations. "Without the generosity of people who said yes to being a donor … none of this would have been accomplished."