Millions of years of life saved by organ transplants, study finds

Millions of years of life have been saved as a result of organ donations and transplants. Researchers say 2 million years of life have been added in the U.S. alone thanks to organ transplants.

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows kidney transplants account for most of the life years added. On average, kidney, liver or heart transplants have provided four to five years of life.

Transplants of solid organs were approved by the FDA in 1983.