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HBO's 'The Pitt' leads to surge in lifesaving donations after storyline leaves viewers devastated READ MORE: World's first pig-to-human liver transplant offers new hope By EMILY JOSHU STERNE, US SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER Published: 21:08 GMT, 3 November 2025 | Updated: 21:20 GMT, 3 November 2025 The medical drama 'The Pitt' has inspired thousands of Americans to donate their organs for lifesaving transplants, a study found. The study, commissioned by the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California, surveyed nearly 1,500 people who watched 'The Pitt,' which follows a group of physicians working a shift at a Pittsburgh trauma center. One important storyline, the researchers note, shows parents who lost a son to fentanyl overdose struggle to decide if they want to donate their son's organs. After watching 'The Pitt,' 27 percent of respondents said they were more likely to seek out information on organ donation, and 17 percent said they shared that information with others. Additionally, 39 percent said they sought out tools on end-of-life planning, which can include organ donation, and 15 percent told friends and loved ones about the process. They also found that while white viewers tended to be more sympathetic toward organ donation, black viewers who watched 'The Pitt's' organ donation storyline were more likely than black non-viewers to register to become organ donors or speak to a loved one about their end-of-life decisions. The researchers noted that their study 'adds to the existing-base demonstrating the power of accurate, expert-informed entertainment narratives to drive attitude and behavior change.' It comes as more than 100,000 Americans are on the waiting lists for lifesaving organ donations, yet the total number of transplants performed last year makes up less than half of that. USC researchers found people who watched HBO's 'The Pitt' were more likely to seek out information on becoming an organ donor. Pictured above are Dr Michael 'Robby' Rabinovitch (played by Noah Wyle) and Dr Heather Collins (played by Tracy Ifeachor) in season 1 of 'The Pitt' According to the Health Resources & Services Administration, each organ donor can save up to eight lives at a time. Organ transplant patients are inheriting donors' memories, say researchers Dr Joe Sachs, an emergency physician, executive producer and writer on the 'The Pitt,' said: 'While our primary goal is to create compelling, complex stories, we are also committed to being current and accurate with our portrayal of medical topics. 'Because of this, public health education is a wonderful side effect of our dramatic storytelling.' Nearly nine in 10 Americans on transplant lists are awaiting a new kidney, and about nine percent are in line for a partial or full liver. Heart, pancreas and lung donors are also needed. Despite almost 90,000 people waiting for a new kidney last year, only 27,000 kidney transplants were performed the year before, according to the latest data. About 60 percent of the US adult population, 170million, are registered organ donors, though just three in every 1,000 die in a way that makes their organs eligible for donation, as the organs need to be removed quickly to keep them viable. The organs may also be too damaged upon death to be donated. The research on 'The Pitt' (pictured here) comes as the US faces a shortage of organ donors, especially for kidneys The survey looked at 1,409 adults in the US with access to HBO Max, the streaming service that airs 'The Pitt,' between June and July 2025. Of those, 709 had seen at least three episodes, including 324 who watched the entire 15-episode season. The survey also included 700 people who had never seen the show. The researchers noted that black and Latino populations face a great need for organ donation. Black Americans, for example, make up nearly 28 percent of people on a transplant waiting list, but they only make up 13 percent of donors. And Latinos account for 23 percent of people waiting for an organ, but only 15 percent of donors fall within this group. However, the team found that while these groups were less interested in organ donation than white participants, they expressed greater interest after watching 'The Pitt.' The above graph shows the proportion of survey respondents who took action regarding organ donation after either watching or not watching at least three episodes of 'The Pitt' The researchers wrote: 'While race itself is not a criterion for matching with a donor in organ transplantation, lack of diversity among organ donors contributes to longer wait times and a higher risk of failure in minority populations. 'Although The Pitt's organ donation storyline focused on a White family, it nonetheless presented an opportunity to measure it's impact on diverse audiences.' Black and Latino populations are generally at a higher risk of needing a donated organ due to higher rates of chronic conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, all of which raise the risk of organ failure. Erica Rosenthal, director of research at the USC Norman Lear Center, said: 'For 25 years, our work has been built upon the idea that stories matter, but conventional wisdom suggests the "broccoli" needs to be hidden in the "hamburger" for audiences to stomach it. '"The Pitt’s" success is a powerful reminder that stories can prioritize accuracy, highlight systemic challenges through authentic characters, spark emotion, and inspire real-world action, all without sacrificing entertainment value.' 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