History of Donation

The history of organ and tissue donation goes back more than a century. Here are some of the highlights throughout the years:

1905
First successful cornea transplant.
Eduard Zirm, Austria

1962
First successful post-mortem kidney transplant.
Dr. Joseph Murray/Dr. David Hume
Brigham Hospital, Boston

1963
First lung transplant.
Dr. James Hardy
University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS

1967
First successful liver transplant.
Dr. Thomas Starzl
University of Colorado, Denver, CO

1967
First successful heart transplant.
Dr. Christian Barnard
Groote Shuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa

1972
The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act establishes the Uniform Organ Donor Card as a legal document in all 50 states, making it possible for anyone 18 years or older to legally donate his or her organs upon death.

1972
End Stage Renal Disease Act paves way for Medicare coverage of all kidney transplants.

1981
First successful heart/lung transplant.
Dr. Norman Shumway
Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA

1983
FDA approval of cyclosporine, the most successful anti-rejection medication developed to date.

1984
National Organ Transplant Act establishes nationwide computer registry operated by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS); authorizes financial support for organ procurement organizations and also prohibits the selling of organs.

1988
FDA approval of Viaspan or UW solution, greatly extends preservation time for livers.

1989
Dr. Thomas Starzl at the University of Pittsburgh reports clinical success of promising new anti-rejection drug, FK-506.

1989
First liver transplant from a living related donor.

1990
Dr. Joseph Murray (performed first kidney transplant) awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine.

1992
Baboon liver transplanted into man dying of liver failure resulting from hepatitis.

1993
Young woman dying of lung failure caused by cystic fibrosis receives partial lobes from lungs of both parents.

2001
Living organ donations outpace cadaveric donations for the first time ever.

2008
South Carolina Organ and Tissue Donor Registry established.

2009
South Carolina Uniform Anatomical Gift Act revised.