Last year, 6356 organs (2019: 6981) from 1837 deceased donors (2019: 2042) were successfully allocated through Eurotransplant to patients on the waiting list. This is a decrease of 9% in transplanted organs compared to 2019. The year 2020 ended with 14020 patients (2019: 13985) active on the waiting list.
Effect of COVID-19
We’re very pleased to announce that it has been able to allocate 6356 organs under the sometimes challenging conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Undeniably, COVID-19 has had an impact on the annual figures, though it remains difficult to state to what extent this effect is. Therefore, it is difficult to make a statement regarding the influence COVID-19 had on the Eurotransplant annual figures.
International cooperation
In 2020, 21.4% (2019: 21.3%) of all allocated organs were exchanged cross-border between the Eurotransplant member states. Thanks to this international exchange, a suitable donor organ could be found for many patients in the different Eurotransplant member states. This specifically applies to patients in special groups such as children, patients with acute organ failure (high urgency patients) as well as patients with a complex medical background (highly immunized patients). Due to the international cooperation within Eurotransplant the chance of receiving a suitable organ in time, is higher for these special patient groups. Furthermore, organ exchange between eight countries within Eurotransplant ensures that donor organs that would otherwise remain unused in one country – because there is no suitable recipient for this organ in this country – become available for patients in other countries.
Statistics per country
Please find detailed tables and charts with key figures on waiting list, donation and transplantation, specified by organ, by country and by year (including 2020) in the online statistics library. Please be aware that slight deviations in the numbers can occur when comparing Eurotransplant figures with figures provided by national organizations in Eurotransplant member states. This may be caused by differences in calculation (e.g. counting double lung transplant as 1 or 2 transplants) and times of registration (counting based on time of donation or time of transplantation). Eurotransplant only reports on utilized donors (deceased donors of which at least one organ was used for transplantation). In every table in the statistics library, the precise method of counting is mentioned.
Contact details
To find out more about the figures of Eurotransplant, visit the Statistics Library. For questions, please contact us by sending an email to pressinfo@eurotransplant.org.