According to a recent study, only 22% of adults in New York are in the donor registry, compared to 48% in other states nationwide.
The lagging rate is mostly due to bureaucratic reasons. Nonprofits run the registries in the eight out of ten states with the highest sign-up rates for organ donation, leading to more direct advocacy. New York residents sign up when they register to vote, or when they renew their driver license, which is often done online.
Last year in the state, 539 died while waiting for a transplant. There are currently 8,667 on a list for a kidney and 1,352 for a liver. Many have been waiting for years. The Health Department is currently working on a bid to get help outside of the state to increase the registry. (Image: Huffington Post)
