The demand for organ transplants in the United States continues to outpace supply, with over 105,000 individuals awaiting life-saving procedures as of May 2025. Kidneys remain the most sought-after organ, accounting for nearly 87 percent of all transplant candidates. This significant need underscores the ongoing challenges in organ donation and allocation across the country. Trends in transplantation rates While the waiting list for organs remains long, there have been notable improvements in transplantation rates for certain organs. For instance, the rate of lung transplants per million inhabitants in the United States nearly doubled from 4.9 in 2008 to 9.1 in 2023. This increase reflects advancements in medical technology and improved organ procurement processes. Liver transplants Liver transplants are the second most common type after kidney transplants. In 2024, individuals aged 50-64 received the highest number of liver transplants, with 4,949 procedures performed for this age group. California led the nation in liver transplants performed in 2024, followed by Texas, highlighting regional variations in organ availability and medical capabilities.

In 2024/25, 313 patients died on the organ transplant waiting list while waiting for a kidney transplant in the United Kingdom (UK), by far the highest number compared to other organs. In this period, 53 and 35 people also died waiting for liver and lung transplants respectively. Transplant situation in the UK The number of people waiting for a kidney transplant in the UK was almost 6.6 thousand in 2025, which was the highest for any organ by quite a distance. This was followed by individuals waiting for liver transplants and heart transplants with 623 and 303 patients each respectively. The problem exists is that in 2024/25 the number of potential donors was over four times the number of actual donors in the UK. Survival chances after a transplant In the UK, the one-year survival rate after a kidney transplant is generally good. Since 2005, 99 percent of those receiving a kidney transplant from a living donor survived for at least one-year post-transplant. The survival rates from deceased donors are slightly below, sitting at a 96 percent survival rate for the period 2020 to 2023.

In 2024, Spain had the highest rate of deceased donors in Europe. The rate of organ donation, including donation after brain death (DBD) and after cardiac death (DCD), was 53.9 per million population. Portugal had the second-highest rate of deceased organ donation in Europe after decreasing slightly to a rate of 36.7 per million population. Third-placed Czechia recorded a rate of 34.3 deceased donors. Waiting times for organs Among the Eurotransplant community (composed of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Slovenia) over 1,100 individuals died while on the transplant waiting list in 2024. More than 40 percent of those that died on the list were waiting for a kidney, followed by around 38 percent waiting for a liver. Situation in the UK In the period 2024/25, nearly 3,600 organ donations were carried out in the UK, this figure had generally increased prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but now is flictuating. There were nearly 7,500 patients on the transplant waiting list in the UK in 2024, indicating that although the number of transplants is increasing, the amount is still not enough to match the demand for organs.

The kidney is the most transplanted organ worldwide, followed by the liver and the heart. In 2023, there were a total of ******* organ transplants worldwide. Organ transplantation is frequently the best or only treatment for end stage organ failure, although transplantation can be challenging and complex. Kidney transplantation Kidney transplantation, or renal transplantation, is by far the most common type of organ transplantation worldwide. Although end stage renal disease can be treated through other means, such as dialysis, kidney transplantation is largely viewed as the best treatment option. Most kidney transplants are done in the Americas and in Europe, where there are a larger number of donors and better access to such procedures. Organ donors Organs can be donated either from a living donor or a deceased donor, depending on the type of organ. Organ donation frequency is different from country to country, as laws that permit or refuse donation vary. Spain, the United States, and Portugal have the highest rates of deceased organ donors worldwide; however, there are still high numbers of patients waiting for organ transplants. In the United States alone, there are almost *** thousand candidates waiting for organ donations, the majority of which require a kidney transplantation.

In 2024/25, 42 percent of the population in the United Kingdom had ‘opted-in’ to the NHS organ donation register, which amounts to over 28 million people registered. This means that the individuals allow their organs to be donated after their death. The share of people registered has been generally increasing since 2009. Deceased transplant activity in the UK The number of deceased organ donors in the UK has increased alongside the rise in the opt-in registrations. In 2023/24, approximately 3.7 thousand deceased donor transplants took place in the UK, compared to around 2.6 thousand in 2009/10. Around 20.6 deceased organ transplants per million population (pmp) in the UK in 2022. Spain had the highest rate of organ donation after death with 46.7 pmp. Rate of transplants in the UK The overall rate of transplants in the UK was 69 transplants per million people in 2023, this was the fifteenth-highest transplant rate in Europe. Although, as of March 2024, there were still almost 8.5 thousand patients on the organ transplant waiting list in the UK, 6.6 thousand of whom were waiting for a kidney transplant.

In 2024, the majority of individuals active on the organ transplant waiting list in Germany were waiting for a kidney. At nearly 9,200 patients waiting for a kidney in 2024, this marks a slight decrease compared to the previous year. There were approximately 2,400 patients on the waiting list for liver transplants. Transplant activity in Germany In 2024, approximately 24.9 kidney transplants per million population were carried out in Germany, a slight decrease compared to 2023. Kidney transplants are the most common organ transplant procedure carried out in Germany, ahead of liver and heart transplants with a rate of 10.7 and 4.2 per million population, respectively. Although, there were over 700 patients in Germany who died on the transplant waiting list, just under half of the deceased were waiting for a kidney transplant. European comparisons The rate of kidney transplant procedures in Germany is low compared to many other European countries. In 2021, Germany ranked 24th out of the European Union countries in the rate of kidney transplants. Spain had the highest rate with more than 85 procedures per million population.

The age group with the largest number of individuals on the transplant waiting list in the U.S. as of May 7, 2025 was those aged 50-64 years. This age group had 44,025 patients waiting to receive transplants at that time. There is an extensive need for organ donations in the United States. Organ donations In the U.S. deceased donors can donate kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, pancreas and intestines. Living donors can donate one kidney, one lung or a portion of the liver, pancreas or intestine. Organs are donated mostly from middle-aged U.S. adults. Among all age groups, those aged 50 to 64 years had the highest number of organ donors in 2024. Waiting lists The number of organ donors in the U.S. has increased dramatically since 1988. Despite such a dramatic increase in the number of donors, there is still a great need among U.S. patients. As of May 2025, the organs with the most patients waiting for transplants in the U.S. were kidneys and livers. Over 91 thousand patients required a kidney at that time.

In Sweden, the most common need of an organ to be transplanted in 2024 was a kidney, with 1,100 patients on the transplant waiting list during that year. For all three years shown, a new kidney was the most demanded organ to be transplanted. Highest activity rate for kidney transplants The rate of organ transplantation activity for kidneys in Sweden was higher in 2024 than the previous year. In 2024, the kidney transplant activity rate was 49.3 per million population. The corresponding figure for liver transplantation, the second most needed organ, was 18.7 per million population. Highest death number on the waiting list for kidney patients Despite the relatively high activity rate for kidney transplants, the number of patients in need is too high for the supply, and the highest number of deaths among patients on the organ transplant waiting list was for kidney patients. In 2024, a total of 20 patients died that were on the organ transplant waiting list for a new kidney. This was a notable increase compared to the previous year.

In 2023, Spain had the highest rate of deceased organ donors among select OECD countries with ** people per million population. Organ donation is an important life-saving method for people with organ failure and late-stage disease. Organ Donation Organs can be donated from either living or deceased persons, depending on the type and supply of select organs. Each country is responsible for organizing its own organ transplant systems. In the United States, for example, organ donors are required to register to a national database. A lack of organs available for transplant remains a problem in many countries around the world. In the United States, there are over *** thousand people currently waiting for an organ transplant. Global organ donations The total number of transplants performed each year has been on the rise. Organ donations globally reached over *** thousand in the year 2023, with kidneys accounting for a majority of the organs transplanted. The Americas and Europe make up the largest proportion of global kidney transplants, while Africa has the lowest number. The Americans and Europe also have the highest proportions of global liver transplants.

At the end of March 2025, there were 6,557 patients on the active transplant list in the United Kingdom (UK) waiting for a kidney transplant. The number of individuals waiting for a kidney transplant dwarfed the number of patients waiting for any other organ in the country. Those waiting for a liver transplant had the second-highest number of active patients at 623, followed by 316 waiting for kidney and pancreas transplant. Transplant activity in the UK In the period 2024/25, 2,337 kidney transplants took place in the UK. In the year 2023, the rate of kidney transplant was 49.8 transplants per million population, the highest rate of any organ transplantation in that year. Liver transplants had a rate of 13 transplants per million, and then heart transplants followed with a rate of 3.5 per million population. Kidney transplants in the rest of Europe With a kidney transplant rate of 49.8 per million, the UK had the seventh-highest rate in Europe in 2023. Spain had the highest rate, with 77.7 transplants per million population.

Belgium had the highest rate of liver transplants in 2023, at 29.1 per million population. This was an increase from 2022, when the rate was 25.4 per million. Italy and Croatia followed with rates of over 27 liver transplants per million. Transplant activity in Croatia In comparison to the rest of Europe, Croatia also had the highest rate of heart transplants in 2023. There were 12 heart transplants per million population carried out in the country in 2023. Additionally, in 2023, Croatia had a kidney transplant rate of 35.3 per million population, although this was comparatively low in Europe. Waiting on the transplant list The number of people in Croatia waiting for organs amounted to 413 active patients on the kidney transplant waiting list in 2023 and 329 active patients waiting for a liver. Although in 2023, there were 33 and 12 patients who died on the transplant list waiting for a liver and kidney respectively.

Kidneys were the most common organ that transplant patients were waiting for in Spain in 2024. Approximately 8,408 patients were on the organ transplant waiting list for a kidney, followed by patients on the list for a liver. The number of patients exceeded 1,800. Kidneys are the most common transplanted organ in Spain Kidney transplantation was the most common organ transplant in Spain in 2024, with approximately 4,000 procedures. Doctors also performed a total of more than 2,400 organ transplantations including lung, heart, liver, or pancreas transplant. Organ donation can be given through both a deceased and living donor if blood and oxygen are flowing through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability. Spain: leader in organ donation In 2024, Spain had the highest rate of deceased donors in Europe. The rate of organ donation, including donation after brain death (DBD) and after cardiac death (DCD), was 53.9 per million population. Portugal, Czechia, Belgium, and Italy followed. Romania and Bulgaria, on the other hand, were the European countries with the lowest rate of deceased organ donors that year.

Spain had the highest rate of organ transplants in 2024, at 132.8 transplantations per million population. This rate had increased by 12.4 procedures compared with 2023. Belgium followed in 2024 with the second-highest rate at 89.7 transplants per million. Rate of specific transplants Spain had the highest rate of kidney transplants per million population in Europe as of 2024. Additionally, Spain had over 28 liver transplants per million in 2024, making it the fourth-highest rate in Europe behind only the rate of transplants in Belgium, Italy, and Croatia. Waiting for a transplant Spain had nearly 13,000 patients active on the transplant waiting list in 2024, with 8,408 of those waiting for a kidney transplant. This was lower than the close to 18,800 patients waiting for a kidney transplant in France, the highest amount in Europe.

Most of the patients active on the organ transplant waiting list in Denmark from 2022 to 2024 needed a new kidney. These patients amounted to 841 in 2024, a decrease compared to the previous year. The number of patients who received a new kidney in Denmark in 2024 was 302. Rate of kidney transplantation activity The activity rate for organ transplantations in Denmark was higher for kidney transplants than for the other organs during the whole period from 2021 to 2024. The kidney transplantation activity rate increased over the period to 50.5 per million population. Highest waiting list death number for kidney patients The highest number of deaths among patients on the transplant list was also among kidney patients. This number peaked in 2023, when 21 patients died while waiting for a new kidney. The number slightly decreased in 2024.

In March 2025, there were over eight thousand patients active on the transplant waiting list in the United Kingdom, the highest number in the given period. Since 2021, the number of patients on the transplant waiting list has been growing year-on-year. What organs are required? Over 6.5 thousand of the 8,096 patients on the active transplant list in the UK were waiting for a kidney transplant. The number of individuals waiting for a kidney transplant dwarfed the number of patients waiting for any other organ in the country. Those waiting for a liver transplant had the second-highest number of active patients at 623, followed by 316 waiting for a kidney and pancreas transplant. Transplant activity in the UK In the financial year 2023/24, 2,337 kidney transplants took place in the UK. In 2023, the rate of kidney transplant was 50 transplants per million population, the highest rate of any organ transplantation in that year. Liver transplants had a rate of 13 transplants per million and then heart transplants followed with a rate of 3.5 per million population.

In 2024, a total of 2,067 patients were on the kidney transplant waiting list in the Netherlands. This figure marks an increase compared to the previous year, when there were 1,941 such patients. The number of patients needing liver transplants has increased in the country in the past two years. Dutch transplant activity There were over 63 kidney transplant procedures per million population in the Netherlands in 2024, a notable increase from the previous year when the rate was 58. Kidney transplant procedures were the most carried out procedure in the Netherlands, followed by liver transplantations at approximately 14.3 procedures per million and then lung transplants at nearly seven per million population. There were 129 deaths on the transplant waiting list in the Netherlands in 2024, of which 83 were waiting for a kidney transplant. Rate compared to rest of Europe The rate of kidney transplants in the Netherlands was the second-highest in the European Union in 2024. Spain was top of the rankings at over 85 kidney transplants per million population.

The states with the highest donor designation rates include Colorado, Michigan, and Arkansas. This statistic shows the estimated donor designation rate of select U.S. states. For example, it is estimated that ** percent of the adult population in Colorado say "yes" to donation when given the opportunity during a motor vehicle department transaction.

Organ donors in the U.S.

In total, in 2018, there were around ****** organ donors in the U.S. Organs can be donated from living and deceased donors depending on the organ. Commonly transplanted organs include the liver, kidney, heart, and lungs. In recent years, there have been more organ donations from men than women, but donations from both sexes have increased over the past few decades.

The waiting list

Although the number of organ donations has increased there are still over ******* candidates waiting for organ transplants in the U.S. Over ****** of these candidates are waiting for a kidney transplant, making it by far the most needed organ. The age group with the largest number of individuals on the waiting list for a transplant is those aged 50 to 64 years, with younger people in much less need for transplants.

This statistic displays the survival rate of organ transplant patients after several follow-up periods, as of 2012. The survival rate for a heart transplant patient after 3 years is **** percent. Organ donation can be given through both a deceased and living donor if blood and oxygen are flowing through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability. There are some ******* people in the U.S. waiting for an organ transplant.

In 2023, the Americas reported the highest number of kidney transplants in the world. That year there were around 43,090 kidney transplants in the Americas, compared to 27,229 transplants in Europe, and 21,108 in the Western Pacific. Organ donation can be given through both a deceased and living donor if blood and oxygen are flowing through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability. What are the most transplanted organs? The most frequently transplanted organs worldwide are kidneys, livers, and hearts. However, kidneys account for the majority of organ transplantations with 65 percent of transplantations in 2023 involving kidneys. That year, around 24 percent of transplants were for livers and just six percent were for hearts. The rate of kidney transplants worldwide has increased over the past few years, reaching 18.5 transplants per million population in 2023, compared to a rate of 11.1 per million population in 2012. In 2023, there were a total of 111,135 kidney transplants worldwide. Organ transplants in the United States In 2023, there were 46,629 organ transplants in the United States, the highest number ever recorded. At that time, the rate of kidney transplants from living donors in the U.S. was 18.5 per million population, a slight decrease from a rate of 19.6 per million population in the year 2008. However, rates of liver, heart, and lung transplantations all increased over this period. Nevertheless, almost 105,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for an organ transplantation, highlighting the need for organ donation. Around 90,465 of these candidates are waiting for a kidney transplantation.

In 2024, over 1,050 patients were on the kidney transplant waiting list in Austria. This figure was an increase compared to the preceding year. The number of patients on the liver, heart, and pancreas transplant waiting list also increased compared to 2023. Austrian transplant activity There were 35.4 kidney transplant procedures per million population in Austria in 2024, a slight decrease from the previous year. Kidney transplant procedures were the most carried out in Austria, followed by liver transplants at 15.6 per million and then lung transplants at nearly 12 per million population. Although there were 72 deaths on the transplant waiting list in Austria in 2024, while the number of people who died waiting for kidney transplant and a liver transplant was approximately the same. Austrian transplant rate compared to rest of Europe The rate of kidney transplants in Austria was the sixteenth-highest in the European Union in 2024. Spain was top of the rankings for kidney transplants per million population. However, Austria was ranked the second-highest rate of lung transplants per million population in the EU.