Kidneys Donated By Black People Are Discarded At Higher Rates Due To Flawed System

Corey Mayes at his New York home on Feb. 10, 2023, after receiving a kidney transplant.
Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images

As one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., kidney disease is a serious public health problem. The disease is particularly severe among Black Americans, who are three times more likely than white Americans to develop kidney failure.

While Black people constitute only 12% of the U.S. population, they account for 35% of those with kidney failure.