'The Pitt' Has Inspired More Organ Donation and EndofLife Planning, According to USC Norman Lear Center Study Michael SchneiderOctober 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM 0 HBO Max After just one season, Emmywinning drama "The Pitt" is already having an impact on healthcare conversations.
- - 'The Pitt' Has Inspired More Organ Donation and End-of-Life Planning, According to USC Norman Lear Center Study
Michael SchneiderOctober 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM
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HBO Max
After just one season, Emmy-winning drama "The Pitt" is already having an impact on healthcare conversations. That's the finding from a new study released Monday by the USC Norman Lear Center, which said "The Pitt" has shifted the conversation on issues such as organ donation and end-of-life planning.
According to a group of 1,409 viewers surveyed by the Hollywood, Health & Society division of the USC Norman Lear Center, 26.9% of respondents said they were more likely to seek out organ donation information after watching "The Pitt," while 17.2% said they shared the information with others. The study helpfully noted that the impact was especially great with Black audiences — an important distinction as Black patients are often overrepresented on transplant waiting lists and underrepresented with donors.
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Also, a storyline on "The Pitt" about family members debating over the end-of-life decisions for an ailing father also appeared to have a major impact on viewers. Around 38.8% said they would look deeper into end-of-life planning such as a living will or power of attorney, while 15.3% said they shared this information with others.
And the study found that among the 709 viewers who had watched at least three episodes of "The Pitt," almost 90% of them said "the series reveals how systemic problems like understaffing affect patient outcomes and helps make provider stress relatable."
The USC Norman Lear Center Hollywood, Health & Society team also spoke with doctors, nurses and trainees, most of whom confirmed the authenticity of the show's storylines — such as overcrowding, underfunding and other realities of their work.
"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," said "The Pitt" executive producer and writer Joe Sachs, MD. "Because of this, public health education is a wonderful side effect of our dramatic storytelling."
The study coincides with Monday's USC Normal Lear Center Hollywood, Health & Society honors, which includes the Culture of Health Award for "The Pitt." Recent Emmy winner Katherine LaNasa will present the award to exec producer/star (and fellow Emmy winner) Noah Wyle and creator/showrunner R. Scott Gemmill, along with the show's writing team.
"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," said Erica Rosenthal, director of research at the USC Norman Lear Center. "'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."
Other series set to be honored include "Shrinking," "Dying for Sex," "Paradise," "Matlock," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Chicago Med," all of which are being recognized for making a difference in topics including healthcare, racism, climate change, cancer and more. Comedian Carol Leifer is hosting the event, held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.
In addition to LaNasa, other presenters include Jason Ritter ("Matlock"), Wendie Malick ("Shrinking"), Sarah Shahi ("Paradise"), Nikki Boyer ("Dying for Sex") and Jason George ("Grey's Anatomy"). Among those also in attendance are Lear's wife, Lyn Lear, as well as the team from Lear's final show ("Boots"), including actor Miles Heizer and author Greg Cope White.
The 2025 host committee for the awards are Jimmy Kimmel, Judith Light, Lyn Lear, Phil Rosenthal and Yvette Nicole Brown.
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