Germany continues to exhibit modest organ donation rates
In Germany, organ donations remain at a disappointingly low figure. From January until September, 714 individuals donated their organs post-mortem, mirroring the figures from the same period in 2023, as reported by the German Organ Transplant Foundation (DSO) during their annual meeting in Frankfurt am Main on Thursday.
A sum of 2314 organs were successfully transplanted in German hospitals between January and September, sourced both domestically and through the Eurotransplant network, which facilitates organ allocation across Europe. Compared to the same period in the previous year, there was a slight decrease in transplanted organs, from 2283 to 2314.
Despite the implementation of an organ donation registry since spring, where individuals can digitally record their stance on organ and tissue donation, the DSO does not foresee an improvement in numbers. By mid-October, only approximately 180,000 people had registered their decision.
Axel Rahmel, Medical Director of the DSO, stated, "Organ donations in Germany are persistently stagnant at an unacceptably low level." Over 8200 patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant, often their last hope. Rahmel added, "We have the medical capabilities to assist, but we are lacking the necessary organs."
Unfortunately, numerous individuals, such as dialysis patients, never make it onto the waiting list due to the low probability of obtaining a donor organ. The current waiting list, with 6400 registered kidney patients, is merely "the tip of the iceberg."
The low organ donation figures in Germany began in January and continued until September, aligning with the data from the same period in 2023. Despite the implementation of an organ donation registry in spring, the number of registered individuals has only reached approximately 180,000 as of mid-October in January.
