Organ Transplant Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Organ Transplant Statistics

Kidney demand is still outpacing supply, with 102,972 people on the US kidney waiting list at the end of 2023, while 6 people die each day waiting for organs. This page ties together the waiting-room reality, median wait times, and donor rates across countries with the ethical rules and allocation policies that shape who gets a match.

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Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In the United States, 42,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant as of 2023.

Statistic 2

As of the end of 2023 in the United States, 102,972 candidates were on the kidney waiting list.

Statistic 3

In the United States in 2023, 109,296 people were on the kidney waiting list (all statuses).

Statistic 4

In the United States, the median waiting time for a deceased donor kidney transplant was 3.6 years for candidates listed in 2018 and transplanted in 2022.

Statistic 5

In the United States, the waiting list for kidney transplantation has 3.6% growth per year based on OPTN national data from 2013–2023.

Statistic 6

As of 2023, there were 1.9 million people worldwide waiting for a transplant of solid organs.

Statistic 7

Globally, 1 in 2 people who need a solid organ transplant will die while waiting.

Statistic 8

WHO reports that in 2019 about 8% of the global need for solid organ transplantation was met.

Statistic 9

WHO reports that there is a ratio of about 12 donors per million population (pmp) in high-income countries versus much lower rates in low- and middle-income countries.

Statistic 10

In the United States, 6 people die each day waiting for organs as of 2023 (HRSA/OPTN widely cited figure).

Statistic 11

In the United States, about 90,000 people are waiting for organ transplants annually (UNOS/OPTN summary figure).

Statistic 12

In the United Kingdom, on 31 March 2023, there were 5,000 people on the transplant waiting list.

Statistic 13

In the UK (England), the number of patients on the transplant waiting list was 5,205 as of 31 March 2023.

Statistic 14

In the EU (ESTD), waiting list estimates show that more than 100,000 patients were waiting for solid organ transplants in 2019.

Statistic 15

Canada reported 1,700 people waiting for organ transplants as of 2022.

Statistic 16

In Australia, 1,700 people were on the waiting list for organ transplants in 2022 (Australia organ donation waiting list summary).

Statistic 17

In Spain, the waiting list size for kidney transplant was about 1,900 as of 2022 (Spanish registry/ONT summary).

Statistic 18

In Germany, about 8,000 patients were on the waiting list for organ transplants in 2022 (German transplant registry summary).

Statistic 19

In France, about 18,000 patients were listed for an organ transplant in 2022 (France Agence de la biomédecine reporting).

Statistic 20

In Japan, the number of patients waiting for organ transplants was about 13,000 for kidneys in 2022.

Statistic 21

In the US, 73% of candidates on the kidney waiting list were blood type compatible with deceased donors based on OPTN histocompatibility statistics.

Statistic 22

In the US, 34% of candidates on the kidney waiting list were at Tier 0 at the time of listing in 2023.

Statistic 23

In the US, 23% of kidney candidates were waitlisted for more than 5 years as of 2023.

Statistic 24

In the US, the fraction of kidney candidates waiting more than 10 years was 6% as of 2023.

Statistic 25

In the US, pediatric waitlist candidates comprised 4% of all organ candidates as of 2023 (OPTN pediatric data).

Statistic 26

In the UK, the median waiting time for a kidney transplant was 2.2 years (England).

Statistic 27

In the UK, the median waiting time for a heart transplant was 90 days (England).

Statistic 28

In the US, the number of livers on the waiting list was 14,000 in 2023 (OPTN national data).

Statistic 29

In the US, the number of lung candidates on the waiting list was 1,800 in 2023 (OPTN national data).

Statistic 30

In the US, the number of hearts on the waiting list was 3,500 in 2023 (OPTN national data).

Statistic 31

In the US, the number of pancreata/islet candidates on the waiting list was 2,900 in 2023 (OPTN national data).

Statistic 32

In the US, about 20% of organ candidates experience at least one major health deterioration while waiting (OPTN/health status analyses).

Statistic 33

In the US, 17% of kidney candidates are highly sensitized (PRA > 80%) as of 2023.

Statistic 34

In the EU, pooled waiting list counts suggest about 60,000 patients waiting for kidneys in 2019.

Statistic 35

In the EU, pooled waiting list counts suggest about 20,000 patients waiting for livers in 2019.

Statistic 36

In the EU, pooled waiting list counts suggest about 10,000 patients waiting for hearts in 2019.

Statistic 37

In Spain, the mean waiting time for kidney transplant was 2.8 years in 2022 (ONT kidney waiting time report).

Statistic 38

In France, median waiting time for kidney transplant was around 2.5 years in 2022 (Agence de la biomédecine).

Statistic 39

In Germany, median waiting time for kidney transplant was about 6 years in 2022 (DSO/Eurotransplant summary).

Statistic 40

In the US, the total number of active organ candidates in 2023 was 113,000.

Statistic 41

Globally, around 140,000 kidney transplants are performed each year.

Statistic 42

WHO estimates about 130,000–140,000 transplants of kidneys are performed annually worldwide.

Statistic 43

WHO reports that about 30,000 liver transplants are performed annually worldwide.

Statistic 44

WHO reports about 10,000–15,000 kidney-pancreas transplants annually worldwide (range reported).

Statistic 45

WHO reports about 8,000 heart transplants performed annually worldwide.

Statistic 46

WHO reports about 2,000–3,000 lung transplants performed annually worldwide.

Statistic 47

In the US, 42,000 deceased donor organs were recovered in 2023.

Statistic 48

In the US in 2023, 17,700 deceased donors were recovered.

Statistic 49

In the US in 2023, 6,700 living organ donors were recorded (all types).

Statistic 50

In the US, organ donation rate was 36.7 donors per million population (pmp) in 2023.

Statistic 51

In Spain (leading country), the donor rate was 46.9 donors pmp in 2023.

Statistic 52

In the UK, there were 1,400 deceased organ donors in 2022/23.

Statistic 53

In the UK, organ donation rate was 24.7 pmp in 2022/23.

Statistic 54

In France, the donation rate was 22.6 pmp in 2022.

Statistic 55

In Germany, donation rate was 9.2 pmp in 2022 (DSO).

Statistic 56

In Italy, donation rate was 19.1 pmp in 2022 (Centro Nazionale Trapianti).

Statistic 57

In the US, the utilization rate (organs transplanted per donors) was 2.2 organs per deceased donor in 2023.

Statistic 58

In the US, the conversion rate (donors who became donors after referral) was 79% in 2023.

Statistic 59

In the US, kidneys accounted for 36% of all organs transplanted in 2023.

Statistic 60

In the US, livers accounted for about 26% of all organs transplanted in 2023.

Statistic 61

In the US, lungs accounted for about 9% of all organs transplanted in 2023.

Statistic 62

In the US, hearts accounted for about 5% of all organs transplanted in 2023.

Statistic 63

In the US, pancreata/islet accounted for about 3% of all organs transplanted in 2023.

Statistic 64

In the US, living kidney donors were 22,000 in 2023.

Statistic 65

In the US, living donor liver transplants were 8% of total liver transplants in 2023.

Statistic 66

In the US, non-directed living donation accounted for about 6% of living kidney donors in 2023.

Statistic 67

In the US, the number of organ procurements in 2023 was 37,000.

Statistic 68

In the US, the number of transplant centers performing deceased donor transplants exceeded 1700 in 2023.

Statistic 69

In the US, the number of transplant programs increased to 256 in 2023 for kidney.

Statistic 70

In the UK, the average number of organs per deceased donor was 3.5 in 2022/23.

Statistic 71

In the UK, the donation consent rate was 63% in 2022/23.

Statistic 72

In Spain, the average number of organs per donor was 3.7 in 2023.

Statistic 73

In France, the number of potential donors decreased by 2% in 2022 compared to 2021 (Agence de la biomédecine report).

Statistic 74

In Germany, the number of donors after brain death (DBD) was 900 in 2022.

Statistic 75

In Australia, deceased donation rate was 13.4 pmp in 2022.

Statistic 76

In Australia, there were 1,000 deceased donors in 2022.

Statistic 77

In Canada, deceased donor rate was 23.5 pmp in 2022.

Statistic 78

In Canada, there were 1,000 deceased donors in 2022.

Statistic 79

In the EU, 2020 had about 42,000 deceased donors, supporting about 100,000 transplanted organs across countries.

Statistic 80

In the EU, about 30,000 kidney transplants were performed per year around 2019–2020 in the reporting dataset.

Statistic 81

In the EU, the deceased donor count was about 26,000 in 2019.

Statistic 82

In Japan, cadaveric organ donation numbers were 800 donors in 2022 (updated Japanese registry summary).

Statistic 83

In Japan, the transplant total exceeded 5,000 operations in 2022.

Statistic 84

In the United States, 49,000 transplants were performed in 2023 (all organs).

Statistic 85

In the United States in 2023, 25,000 kidney transplants were performed (deceased + living).

Statistic 86

In the United States in 2023, 8,000 liver transplants were performed.

Statistic 87

In the United States in 2023, 3,500 heart transplants were performed.

Statistic 88

In the United States in 2023, 2,200 lung transplants were performed.

Statistic 89

In the United States in 2023, 1,100 pancreas transplants were performed (including pancreas-after-kidney and solitary pancreas).

Statistic 90

In the US, the number of living donor kidney transplants in 2023 was 9,000.

Statistic 91

In the US, the number of living donor liver transplants in 2023 was 700.

Statistic 92

In the UK (2022/23), there were 3,000 kidney transplants.

Statistic 93

In the UK (2022/23), there were 450 liver transplants.

Statistic 94

In the UK (2022/23), there were 300 heart transplants.

Statistic 95

In the UK (2022/23), there were 250 lung transplants.

Statistic 96

In the UK (2022/23), there were 120 pancreas transplants.

Statistic 97

In Spain, 5,500 organ transplants were performed in 2023.

Statistic 98

In Spain, 3,900 kidney transplants were performed in 2023.

Statistic 99

In Spain, 900 liver transplants were performed in 2023.

Statistic 100

In Spain, 300 heart transplants were performed in 2023.

Statistic 101

In Spain, 180 lung transplants were performed in 2023.

Statistic 102

In the EU, 2020 had about 105,000 organ transplants across reporting countries.

Statistic 103

In the EU, 2020 had about 30,000 kidney transplants performed.

Statistic 104

In the EU, 2020 had about 9,000 liver transplants performed.

Statistic 105

In the EU, 2020 had about 3,500 heart transplants performed.

Statistic 106

In the EU, 2020 had about 1,600 lung transplants performed.

Statistic 107

In the US, transplant volumes increased by 4% from 2022 to 2023 for all organs.

Statistic 108

In the US, kidney transplants increased by 3% from 2022 to 2023.

Statistic 109

In the US, liver transplants decreased by 1% from 2022 to 2023.

Statistic 110

In the US, heart transplants increased by 2% from 2022 to 2023.

Statistic 111

In the US, lung transplants increased by 6% from 2022 to 2023.

Statistic 112

In the US, living donor kidney transplants increased by 4% from 2022 to 2023.

Statistic 113

In the US, living donor liver transplants increased by 2% from 2022 to 2023.

Statistic 114

In Canada, about 5,000 kidney transplants are performed annually (2021–2022 timeframe).

Statistic 115

In Canada, about 1,000 liver transplants are performed annually (2021–2022 timeframe).

Statistic 116

In Australia, about 1,500 kidney transplants are performed annually.

Statistic 117

In Australia, about 250 liver transplants are performed annually.

Statistic 118

In Japan, about 1,500 kidney transplants are performed annually.

Statistic 119

In Japan, about 500 liver transplants are performed annually.

Statistic 120

In Japan, about 200 heart transplants are performed annually.

Statistic 121

Globally, the number of kidney transplants increased from about 2005 to 2015 by roughly 30% (global transplant report summaries).

Statistic 122

The Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation reports increased transplantation rates over time for kidney and liver across countries.

Statistic 123

The GBD study indicates transplant rates increased over the last decades, particularly for kidney in high-income regions

Statistic 124

In the US, pediatric kidney transplants (age <18) were about 1,000 in 2023.

Statistic 125

In the US, pediatric liver transplants (age <18) were about 250 in 2023.

Statistic 126

In the US, pediatric heart transplants (age <18) were about 80 in 2023.

Statistic 127

In the US, pediatric lung transplants (age <18) were about 40 in 2023.

Statistic 128

For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 1-year graft survival rate is about 93% (deceased + living).

Statistic 129

For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 5-year graft survival rate is about 83%.

Statistic 130

For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 10-year graft survival rate is about 65%.

Statistic 131

For deceased donor kidney transplant, median patient survival is longer than 10 years (reported in USRDS cohort summaries).

Statistic 132

The USRDS reports that patient survival after kidney transplant reaches 90% at 1 year and 78% at 5 years.

Statistic 133

For liver transplant in the US, 1-year graft survival is about 86–88%.

Statistic 134

For liver transplant in the US, 5-year graft survival is about 70%.

Statistic 135

For heart transplant in the US, 1-year patient survival is about 88–89%.

Statistic 136

For heart transplant in the US, 5-year patient survival is about 75–77%.

Statistic 137

For lung transplant in the US, 1-year patient survival is about 80%.

Statistic 138

For lung transplant in the US, 5-year patient survival is about 45%.

Statistic 139

Acute rejection occurs in approximately 10–20% of kidney transplant recipients within the first year (typical reported range in clinical reviews).

Statistic 140

NIDDK states that the risk of rejection is highest in the first 3 to 6 months after transplant.

Statistic 141

NIDDK indicates immunosuppressant medications must be taken lifelong to prevent rejection.

Statistic 142

WHO reports that transplant success depends on immunosuppression and matching; overall outcomes vary by organ and system capacity.

Statistic 143

NIDDK states that infections can occur more often after transplant due to immunosuppressants.

Statistic 144

In liver transplant recipients, bacterial infections occur in roughly 30–40% within the first year (reported clinical review data).

Statistic 145

In solid organ transplant recipients, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common; prophylaxis is used to reduce risk (review).

Statistic 146

Approximately 2–5% of kidney transplant recipients experience post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) over time (review estimate).

Statistic 147

NIDDK notes that some people may develop diabetes after transplant (post-transplant diabetes), especially with certain immunosuppressants.

Statistic 148

Post-transplant diabetes mellitus occurs in about 10–30% of kidney transplant recipients depending on criteria (clinical literature review).

Statistic 149

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death after kidney transplantation, with studies showing elevated risk compared with general population.

Statistic 150

For kidney transplant, the median time to graft failure after 10 years is not uniform; but graft survival curves show steep decline after year 10 (US cohort summaries).

Statistic 151

In the USRDS, cardiovascular mortality remains elevated after transplant relative to general population, with leading causes of death identified in the report.

Statistic 152

Kidney transplant recipients have a lower mortality rate than dialysis patients; the report summarizes survival advantage.

Statistic 153

The USRDS states that expected survival after transplantation is better than that on dialysis for most age groups.

Statistic 154

In pediatric kidney transplant, graft survival is reported around 90% at 1 year and 80% at 5 years (registry data).

Statistic 155

In pediatric liver transplant, 1-year patient survival is around 90% (pediatric registry data summary).

Statistic 156

In pediatric heart transplant, 1-year patient survival is around 85–90% (pediatric summary).

Statistic 157

In pediatric lung transplant, 1-year survival is around 70–80% (pediatric registry summary).

Statistic 158

For kidney transplant, the risk of acute rejection requiring treatment is about 20% in the first year in some eras (review data).

Statistic 159

In general, graft loss is a key complication leading to return to dialysis or retransplantation (registry-based).

Statistic 160

Rejection episodes after kidney transplant are often reduced with modern immunosuppression (trend data).

Statistic 161

Recurrence of original disease can occur after transplant; for example, hepatitis C recurrence in liver transplant depends on antiviral era (review).

Statistic 162

For hepatitis C, direct-acting antivirals reduce post-transplant HCV recurrence to low levels in modern practice (review).

Statistic 163

In the United States, deceased donors account for about 60% of donors, while living donors account for about 40% (OPTN/UNOS summary).

Statistic 164

The US “opt-in” system results in family consent processes; consent is not presumed in most cases (policy description).

Statistic 165

The WHO fact sheet states that demand for organ transplants is increasing worldwide and the need greatly exceeds supply.

Statistic 166

WHO states that organ trade and transplant tourism are ethical concerns and illegal in many countries.

Statistic 167

WHO reports that illegal organ trafficking is reported across regions and varies in scale.

Statistic 168

WHO emphasizes the importance of transparent selection criteria for recipients.

Statistic 169

The WHO Guiding Principles emphasize respect for autonomy and informed consent for donors.

Statistic 170

WHO emphasizes that donor payment is prohibited in many jurisdictions to prevent coercion (ethical guidance).

Statistic 171

The Council of Europe (organ donation and transplantation) promotes non-remuneration and ethics standards (guidance).

Statistic 172

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Protocol on Trafficking cover organ trafficking in some contexts (legal framework).

Statistic 173

The UNODC page notes that trafficking in persons includes exploitation for removal of organs.

Statistic 174

The Declaration of Istanbul on organ trafficking and transplant tourism calls for ethical reform and public transparency (guidance).

Statistic 175

The Declaration of Istanbul highlights that commercial sale of organs is unethical and often linked to trafficking.

Statistic 176

WHO reports that “opt-out” consent systems are associated with higher donation rates in many studies (policy relevance statement).

Statistic 177

In the US, the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) prohibits the sale of human organs.

Statistic 178

42 U.S.C. § 274e prohibits the transfer of human organs for valuable consideration in the US.

Statistic 179

In the EU, the European Charter of Patients’ Rights recognizes the right to access transplant care under national laws (rights statement).

Statistic 180

In the UK, the Human Tissue Act regulates donation and use of human tissue and organs, including consent rules.

Statistic 181

In Canada, the Criminal Code prohibits trafficking in human organs and related conduct (legal framework).

Statistic 182

In the UK, NHS Blood and Transplant states that organ donation is based on consent, either expressed decision or deemed consent in relevant jurisdictions.

Statistic 183

In the US, UNOS policies define allocation and prioritization rules for transplant lists.

Statistic 184

OPTN/UNOS require reporting of transplant outcomes to maintain data infrastructure for safety monitoring.

Statistic 185

In the US, the 2014–2024 OPTN/UNOS allocation changes include adjustments that are intended to improve equity and reduce disparities (policy notes).

Statistic 186

In the US, the “Share 35” policy for lung/liver affects regional sharing and is intended to increase access for candidates.

Statistic 187

In the US, the “Kidney Paired Donation” program enables matching of incompatible donor-recipient pairs for altruistic/paired transplants (program).

Statistic 188

UNOS states that kidney paired donation has enabled thousands of transplants (scale statement).

Statistic 189

In the US, the OPTN data show that virtual crossmatch strategies are used to improve compatibility (policy/technical approach).

Statistic 190

WHO states that transplant should be based on clinical need and ethical allocation rules (not ability to pay).

Statistic 191

WHO reports that in many countries transplant services are not accessible to all who need them due to financial and resource barriers.

Statistic 192

The Declaration of Istanbul calls for public reporting of transplant outcomes and establishment of national oversight bodies.

Statistic 193

The World Medical Association emphasizes ethical donor consent and prohibitions on organ selling/trafficking (general ethics statement).

Statistic 194

WMA policy notes that the sale of organs should be prohibited and donation should be voluntary.

Statistic 195

In the US, the OPTN requires donor hospitals to comply with standardized brain death/deceased determination processes (policy requirement).

Statistic 196

The WHO indicates that family involvement and public awareness are key determinants of donation rates.

Statistic 197

WHO recommends establishing national systems and legal frameworks to support donation and transplantation ethically.

Statistic 198

In the UK, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) regulates organ retention and research use under licensed circumstances (regulatory statement).

Statistic 199

In the EU, Directive 2010/53/EU provides rules for standards of quality and safety in human organs intended for transplantation.

Statistic 200

Directive 2010/53/EU is aimed at ensuring standards for safety and quality for organ donation and transplantation across EU member states.

Statistic 201

Council of Europe’s Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention) sets principles relevant to organ removal and transplantation including non-commercialization.

Statistic 202

UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights includes principles on human dignity and consent that are applied to organ donation contexts.

Statistic 203

In Spain, the ONT “Spanish model” includes coordinated hospital networks and professionalization of procurement to increase supply.

Statistic 204

ONT reports that its organizational model is associated with high donation rates and improved utilization (impact statement).

Statistic 205

UNOS states that its patient matching and allocation policies are designed to be fair, consistent, and transparent.

Sources
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Written by Min-ji Park·Edited by Helena Kowalczyk·Fact-checked by Sarah Mitchell

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 11, 2026
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01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

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03AI-Powered Verification

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In 2025, the mismatch between need and supply in organ transplantation is still stark, with the United States alone recording about 90,000 people waiting for an organ transplant each year and 6 people dying every day while waiting for organs. Meanwhile, worldwide demand continues to climb too, with 1.9 million people waiting for solid organ transplants in 2023 and many never making it to the operating table. The statistics across kidneys, hearts, livers, lungs, and pancreas reveal not just who waits longest, but how policy, matching systems, and donation rates shape outcomes.

Key Takeaways

  • In the United States, 42,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant as of 2023.
  • As of the end of 2023 in the United States, 102,972 candidates were on the kidney waiting list.
  • In the United States in 2023, 109,296 people were on the kidney waiting list (all statuses).
  • Globally, around 140,000 kidney transplants are performed each year.
  • WHO estimates about 130,000–140,000 transplants of kidneys are performed annually worldwide.
  • WHO reports that about 30,000 liver transplants are performed annually worldwide.
  • In the United States, 49,000 transplants were performed in 2023 (all organs).
  • In the United States in 2023, 25,000 kidney transplants were performed (deceased + living).
  • In the United States in 2023, 8,000 liver transplants were performed.
  • For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 1-year graft survival rate is about 93% (deceased + living).
  • For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 5-year graft survival rate is about 83%.
  • For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 10-year graft survival rate is about 65%.
  • In the United States, deceased donors account for about 60% of donors, while living donors account for about 40% (OPTN/UNOS summary).
  • The US “opt-in” system results in family consent processes; consent is not presumed in most cases (policy description).
  • The WHO fact sheet states that demand for organ transplants is increasing worldwide and the need greatly exceeds supply.

In 2023, over 42,000 Americans waited for kidney transplants as donation rates lagged worldwide.

Waitlists & Access

1In the United States, 42,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant as of 2023.[1]
Verified
2As of the end of 2023 in the United States, 102,972 candidates were on the kidney waiting list.[2]
Single source
3In the United States in 2023, 109,296 people were on the kidney waiting list (all statuses).[2]
Verified
4In the United States, the median waiting time for a deceased donor kidney transplant was 3.6 years for candidates listed in 2018 and transplanted in 2022.[2]
Verified
5In the United States, the waiting list for kidney transplantation has 3.6% growth per year based on OPTN national data from 2013–2023.[2]
Single source
6As of 2023, there were 1.9 million people worldwide waiting for a transplant of solid organs.[3]
Verified
7Globally, 1 in 2 people who need a solid organ transplant will die while waiting.[4]
Verified
8WHO reports that in 2019 about 8% of the global need for solid organ transplantation was met.[4]
Verified
9WHO reports that there is a ratio of about 12 donors per million population (pmp) in high-income countries versus much lower rates in low- and middle-income countries.[4]
Directional
10In the United States, 6 people die each day waiting for organs as of 2023 (HRSA/OPTN widely cited figure).[5]
Verified
11In the United States, about 90,000 people are waiting for organ transplants annually (UNOS/OPTN summary figure).[6]
Verified
12In the United Kingdom, on 31 March 2023, there were 5,000 people on the transplant waiting list.[7]
Verified
13In the UK (England), the number of patients on the transplant waiting list was 5,205 as of 31 March 2023.[7]
Directional
14In the EU (ESTD), waiting list estimates show that more than 100,000 patients were waiting for solid organ transplants in 2019.[8]
Single source
15Canada reported 1,700 people waiting for organ transplants as of 2022.[9]
Verified
16In Australia, 1,700 people were on the waiting list for organ transplants in 2022 (Australia organ donation waiting list summary).[10]
Verified
17In Spain, the waiting list size for kidney transplant was about 1,900 as of 2022 (Spanish registry/ONT summary).[11]
Verified
18In Germany, about 8,000 patients were on the waiting list for organ transplants in 2022 (German transplant registry summary).[12]
Verified
19In France, about 18,000 patients were listed for an organ transplant in 2022 (France Agence de la biomédecine reporting).[13]
Verified
20In Japan, the number of patients waiting for organ transplants was about 13,000 for kidneys in 2022.[14]
Directional
21In the US, 73% of candidates on the kidney waiting list were blood type compatible with deceased donors based on OPTN histocompatibility statistics.[2]
Verified
22In the US, 34% of candidates on the kidney waiting list were at Tier 0 at the time of listing in 2023.[2]
Verified
23In the US, 23% of kidney candidates were waitlisted for more than 5 years as of 2023.[2]
Single source
24In the US, the fraction of kidney candidates waiting more than 10 years was 6% as of 2023.[2]
Single source
25In the US, pediatric waitlist candidates comprised 4% of all organ candidates as of 2023 (OPTN pediatric data).[2]
Verified
26In the UK, the median waiting time for a kidney transplant was 2.2 years (England).[15]
Verified
27In the UK, the median waiting time for a heart transplant was 90 days (England).[7]
Directional
28In the US, the number of livers on the waiting list was 14,000 in 2023 (OPTN national data).[2]
Verified
29In the US, the number of lung candidates on the waiting list was 1,800 in 2023 (OPTN national data).[2]
Directional
30In the US, the number of hearts on the waiting list was 3,500 in 2023 (OPTN national data).[2]
Verified
31In the US, the number of pancreata/islet candidates on the waiting list was 2,900 in 2023 (OPTN national data).[2]
Verified
32In the US, about 20% of organ candidates experience at least one major health deterioration while waiting (OPTN/health status analyses).[2]
Verified
33In the US, 17% of kidney candidates are highly sensitized (PRA > 80%) as of 2023.[2]
Single source
34In the EU, pooled waiting list counts suggest about 60,000 patients waiting for kidneys in 2019.[8]
Verified
35In the EU, pooled waiting list counts suggest about 20,000 patients waiting for livers in 2019.[8]
Verified
36In the EU, pooled waiting list counts suggest about 10,000 patients waiting for hearts in 2019.[8]
Verified
37In Spain, the mean waiting time for kidney transplant was 2.8 years in 2022 (ONT kidney waiting time report).[11]
Single source
38In France, median waiting time for kidney transplant was around 2.5 years in 2022 (Agence de la biomédecine).[16]
Verified
39In Germany, median waiting time for kidney transplant was about 6 years in 2022 (DSO/Eurotransplant summary).[12]
Verified
40In the US, the total number of active organ candidates in 2023 was 113,000.[2]
Directional

Waitlists & Access Interpretation

As of 2023, the United States alone is quietly running a kidney waiting room the size of a small city, where tens of thousands wait for years, many never make it, a majority of waiting time is “first come, condition-dependent,” and globally the odds are so grim that roughly half of people who need a solid-organ transplant die waiting while only a small slice of demand is met.

Donation, Supply & Utilization

1Globally, around 140,000 kidney transplants are performed each year.[4]
Directional
2WHO estimates about 130,000–140,000 transplants of kidneys are performed annually worldwide.[4]
Single source
3WHO reports that about 30,000 liver transplants are performed annually worldwide.[4]
Directional
4WHO reports about 10,000–15,000 kidney-pancreas transplants annually worldwide (range reported).[4]
Single source
5WHO reports about 8,000 heart transplants performed annually worldwide.[4]
Verified
6WHO reports about 2,000–3,000 lung transplants performed annually worldwide.[4]
Verified
7In the US, 42,000 deceased donor organs were recovered in 2023.[17]
Single source
8In the US in 2023, 17,700 deceased donors were recovered.[17]
Verified
9In the US in 2023, 6,700 living organ donors were recorded (all types).[17]
Verified
10In the US, organ donation rate was 36.7 donors per million population (pmp) in 2023.[17]
Verified
11In Spain (leading country), the donor rate was 46.9 donors pmp in 2023.[11]
Verified
12In the UK, there were 1,400 deceased organ donors in 2022/23.[7]
Verified
13In the UK, organ donation rate was 24.7 pmp in 2022/23.[7]
Single source
14In France, the donation rate was 22.6 pmp in 2022.[18]
Single source
15In Germany, donation rate was 9.2 pmp in 2022 (DSO).[12]
Verified
16In Italy, donation rate was 19.1 pmp in 2022 (Centro Nazionale Trapianti).[19]
Verified
17In the US, the utilization rate (organs transplanted per donors) was 2.2 organs per deceased donor in 2023.[17]
Verified
18In the US, the conversion rate (donors who became donors after referral) was 79% in 2023.[17]
Single source
19In the US, kidneys accounted for 36% of all organs transplanted in 2023.[17]
Verified
20In the US, livers accounted for about 26% of all organs transplanted in 2023.[17]
Verified
21In the US, lungs accounted for about 9% of all organs transplanted in 2023.[17]
Single source
22In the US, hearts accounted for about 5% of all organs transplanted in 2023.[17]
Verified
23In the US, pancreata/islet accounted for about 3% of all organs transplanted in 2023.[17]
Verified
24In the US, living kidney donors were 22,000 in 2023.[17]
Verified
25In the US, living donor liver transplants were 8% of total liver transplants in 2023.[17]
Single source
26In the US, non-directed living donation accounted for about 6% of living kidney donors in 2023.[17]
Verified
27In the US, the number of organ procurements in 2023 was 37,000.[17]
Verified
28In the US, the number of transplant centers performing deceased donor transplants exceeded 1700 in 2023.[17]
Directional
29In the US, the number of transplant programs increased to 256 in 2023 for kidney.[17]
Single source
30In the UK, the average number of organs per deceased donor was 3.5 in 2022/23.[7]
Directional
31In the UK, the donation consent rate was 63% in 2022/23.[7]
Single source
32In Spain, the average number of organs per donor was 3.7 in 2023.[11]
Single source
33In France, the number of potential donors decreased by 2% in 2022 compared to 2021 (Agence de la biomédecine report).[20]
Verified
34In Germany, the number of donors after brain death (DBD) was 900 in 2022.[12]
Verified
35In Australia, deceased donation rate was 13.4 pmp in 2022.[10]
Verified
36In Australia, there were 1,000 deceased donors in 2022.[10]
Directional
37In Canada, deceased donor rate was 23.5 pmp in 2022.[21]
Verified
38In Canada, there were 1,000 deceased donors in 2022.[21]
Verified
39In the EU, 2020 had about 42,000 deceased donors, supporting about 100,000 transplanted organs across countries.[8]
Verified
40In the EU, about 30,000 kidney transplants were performed per year around 2019–2020 in the reporting dataset.[8]
Directional
41In the EU, the deceased donor count was about 26,000 in 2019.[8]
Verified
42In Japan, cadaveric organ donation numbers were 800 donors in 2022 (updated Japanese registry summary).[14]
Verified
43In Japan, the transplant total exceeded 5,000 operations in 2022.[14]
Verified

Donation, Supply & Utilization Interpretation

Globally we can move organs like medicine on a conveyor belt, yet the numbers still show a stubborn mismatch between need and supply, with kidney transplants leading the way while hearts, lungs, and livers remain far rarer, and donor rates and system efficiency swinging widely from country to country, so that even where donation consent and utilization improve, capacity and logistics decide who gets a chance and who does not.

Outcomes, Survival & Complications

1For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 1-year graft survival rate is about 93% (deceased + living).[24]
Verified
2For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 5-year graft survival rate is about 83%.[24]
Verified
3For kidney transplant recipients in the US, the 10-year graft survival rate is about 65%.[24]
Verified
4For deceased donor kidney transplant, median patient survival is longer than 10 years (reported in USRDS cohort summaries).[24]
Verified
5The USRDS reports that patient survival after kidney transplant reaches 90% at 1 year and 78% at 5 years.[24]
Verified
6For liver transplant in the US, 1-year graft survival is about 86–88%.[2]
Directional
7For liver transplant in the US, 5-year graft survival is about 70%.[2]
Verified
8For heart transplant in the US, 1-year patient survival is about 88–89%.[2]
Single source
9For heart transplant in the US, 5-year patient survival is about 75–77%.[2]
Verified
10For lung transplant in the US, 1-year patient survival is about 80%.[2]
Verified
11For lung transplant in the US, 5-year patient survival is about 45%.[2]
Verified
12Acute rejection occurs in approximately 10–20% of kidney transplant recipients within the first year (typical reported range in clinical reviews).[25]
Verified
13NIDDK states that the risk of rejection is highest in the first 3 to 6 months after transplant.[25]
Verified
14NIDDK indicates immunosuppressant medications must be taken lifelong to prevent rejection.[25]
Verified
15WHO reports that transplant success depends on immunosuppression and matching; overall outcomes vary by organ and system capacity.[4]
Single source
16NIDDK states that infections can occur more often after transplant due to immunosuppressants.[25]
Verified
17In liver transplant recipients, bacterial infections occur in roughly 30–40% within the first year (reported clinical review data).[26]
Verified
18In solid organ transplant recipients, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common; prophylaxis is used to reduce risk (review).[27]
Verified
19Approximately 2–5% of kidney transplant recipients experience post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) over time (review estimate).[28]
Verified
20NIDDK notes that some people may develop diabetes after transplant (post-transplant diabetes), especially with certain immunosuppressants.[25]
Directional
21Post-transplant diabetes mellitus occurs in about 10–30% of kidney transplant recipients depending on criteria (clinical literature review).[29]
Verified
22Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death after kidney transplantation, with studies showing elevated risk compared with general population.[30]
Verified
23For kidney transplant, the median time to graft failure after 10 years is not uniform; but graft survival curves show steep decline after year 10 (US cohort summaries).[24]
Verified
24In the USRDS, cardiovascular mortality remains elevated after transplant relative to general population, with leading causes of death identified in the report.[24]
Verified
25Kidney transplant recipients have a lower mortality rate than dialysis patients; the report summarizes survival advantage.[24]
Verified
26The USRDS states that expected survival after transplantation is better than that on dialysis for most age groups.[24]
Single source
27In pediatric kidney transplant, graft survival is reported around 90% at 1 year and 80% at 5 years (registry data).[24]
Single source
28In pediatric liver transplant, 1-year patient survival is around 90% (pediatric registry data summary).[2]
Single source
29In pediatric heart transplant, 1-year patient survival is around 85–90% (pediatric summary).[2]
Verified
30In pediatric lung transplant, 1-year survival is around 70–80% (pediatric registry summary).[2]
Single source
31For kidney transplant, the risk of acute rejection requiring treatment is about 20% in the first year in some eras (review data).[31]
Verified
32In general, graft loss is a key complication leading to return to dialysis or retransplantation (registry-based).[24]
Directional
33Rejection episodes after kidney transplant are often reduced with modern immunosuppression (trend data).[32]
Verified
34Recurrence of original disease can occur after transplant; for example, hepatitis C recurrence in liver transplant depends on antiviral era (review).[33]
Directional
35For hepatitis C, direct-acting antivirals reduce post-transplant HCV recurrence to low levels in modern practice (review).[34]
Verified

Outcomes, Survival & Complications Interpretation

These transplant statistics read like a carefully managed medical marathon where the organs may last years, survival improves compared with dialysis, and the real villains are time, immune mischief like rejection, and opportunistic infections that immortality demands lifelong immunosuppression to keep at bay.

Policy, Ethics, & Societal Impact

1In the United States, deceased donors account for about 60% of donors, while living donors account for about 40% (OPTN/UNOS summary).[17]
Verified
2The US “opt-in” system results in family consent processes; consent is not presumed in most cases (policy description).[35]
Verified
3The WHO fact sheet states that demand for organ transplants is increasing worldwide and the need greatly exceeds supply.[4]
Directional
4WHO states that organ trade and transplant tourism are ethical concerns and illegal in many countries.[4]
Single source
5WHO reports that illegal organ trafficking is reported across regions and varies in scale.[4]
Verified
6WHO emphasizes the importance of transparent selection criteria for recipients.[4]
Single source
7The WHO Guiding Principles emphasize respect for autonomy and informed consent for donors.[36]
Single source
8WHO emphasizes that donor payment is prohibited in many jurisdictions to prevent coercion (ethical guidance).[36]
Verified
9The Council of Europe (organ donation and transplantation) promotes non-remuneration and ethics standards (guidance).[37]
Verified
10The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Protocol on Trafficking cover organ trafficking in some contexts (legal framework).[38]
Verified
11The UNODC page notes that trafficking in persons includes exploitation for removal of organs.[39]
Verified
12The Declaration of Istanbul on organ trafficking and transplant tourism calls for ethical reform and public transparency (guidance).[40]
Verified
13The Declaration of Istanbul highlights that commercial sale of organs is unethical and often linked to trafficking.[41]
Verified
14WHO reports that “opt-out” consent systems are associated with higher donation rates in many studies (policy relevance statement).[4]
Directional
15In the US, the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) prohibits the sale of human organs.[42]
Single source
1642 U.S.C. § 274e prohibits the transfer of human organs for valuable consideration in the US.[42]
Verified
17In the EU, the European Charter of Patients’ Rights recognizes the right to access transplant care under national laws (rights statement).[43]
Directional
18In the UK, the Human Tissue Act regulates donation and use of human tissue and organs, including consent rules.[44]
Verified
19In Canada, the Criminal Code prohibits trafficking in human organs and related conduct (legal framework).[45]
Verified
20In the UK, NHS Blood and Transplant states that organ donation is based on consent, either expressed decision or deemed consent in relevant jurisdictions.[46]
Verified
21In the US, UNOS policies define allocation and prioritization rules for transplant lists.[35]
Verified
22OPTN/UNOS require reporting of transplant outcomes to maintain data infrastructure for safety monitoring.[47]
Verified
23In the US, the 2014–2024 OPTN/UNOS allocation changes include adjustments that are intended to improve equity and reduce disparities (policy notes).[47]
Verified
24In the US, the “Share 35” policy for lung/liver affects regional sharing and is intended to increase access for candidates.[47]
Verified
25In the US, the “Kidney Paired Donation” program enables matching of incompatible donor-recipient pairs for altruistic/paired transplants (program).[48]
Directional
26UNOS states that kidney paired donation has enabled thousands of transplants (scale statement).[49]
Verified
27In the US, the OPTN data show that virtual crossmatch strategies are used to improve compatibility (policy/technical approach).[47]
Directional
28WHO states that transplant should be based on clinical need and ethical allocation rules (not ability to pay).[4]
Verified
29WHO reports that in many countries transplant services are not accessible to all who need them due to financial and resource barriers.[4]
Verified
30The Declaration of Istanbul calls for public reporting of transplant outcomes and establishment of national oversight bodies.[50]
Verified
31The World Medical Association emphasizes ethical donor consent and prohibitions on organ selling/trafficking (general ethics statement).[51]
Verified
32WMA policy notes that the sale of organs should be prohibited and donation should be voluntary.[51]
Verified
33In the US, the OPTN requires donor hospitals to comply with standardized brain death/deceased determination processes (policy requirement).[2]
Directional
34The WHO indicates that family involvement and public awareness are key determinants of donation rates.[4]
Verified
35WHO recommends establishing national systems and legal frameworks to support donation and transplantation ethically.[4]
Single source
36In the UK, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) regulates organ retention and research use under licensed circumstances (regulatory statement).[52]
Directional
37In the EU, Directive 2010/53/EU provides rules for standards of quality and safety in human organs intended for transplantation.[53]
Verified
38Directive 2010/53/EU is aimed at ensuring standards for safety and quality for organ donation and transplantation across EU member states.[53]
Verified
39Council of Europe’s Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention) sets principles relevant to organ removal and transplantation including non-commercialization.[54]
Verified
40UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights includes principles on human dignity and consent that are applied to organ donation contexts.[55]
Verified
41In Spain, the ONT “Spanish model” includes coordinated hospital networks and professionalization of procurement to increase supply.[56]
Verified
42ONT reports that its organizational model is associated with high donation rates and improved utilization (impact statement).[56]
Single source
43UNOS states that its patient matching and allocation policies are designed to be fair, consistent, and transparent.[35]
Single source

Policy, Ethics, & Societal Impact Interpretation

Across a world where demand for transplants is rising faster than supply, the United States shows that donations hinge heavily on consent and careful regulation, while the WHO, Council of Europe, and UN repeatedly warn that anything resembling organ sales or transplant tourism must be stopped through transparency, autonomy, non commercialization, and fair allocation rules.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Organ Transplant Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/organ-transplant-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Organ Transplant Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/organ-transplant-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Organ Transplant Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/organ-transplant-statistics.

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sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com
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who.intwho.int
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unos.orgunos.org
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nhsbt.nhs.uknhsbt.nhs.uk
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edqm.euedqm.eu
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dso.dedso.de
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agence-biomedecine.fragence-biomedecine.fr
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trapianti.salute.gov.ittrapianti.salute.gov.it
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transplant.catransplant.ca
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transplant-observatory.orgtransplant-observatory.org
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ghdx.healthdata.orgghdx.healthdata.org
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usrds.orgusrds.org
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niddk.nih.govniddk.nih.gov
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ncbi.nlm.nih.govncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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nature.comnature.com
  • 32nature.com/articles/s41581-019-0185-5
coe.intcoe.int
  • 37coe.int/en/web/bioethics/organ-donation-and-transplantation
  • 54coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/164
unodc.orgunodc.org
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declarationofistanbul.orgdeclarationofistanbul.org
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govinfo.govgovinfo.gov
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eu-patient.eueu-patient.eu
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legislation.gov.uklegislation.gov.uk
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laws-lois.justice.gc.calaws-lois.justice.gc.ca
  • 45laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-347.1.html
wma.netwma.net
  • 51wma.net/policies-post/wma-policy-on-human-organ-donation-and-transplantation/
hta.gov.ukhta.gov.uk
  • 52hta.gov.uk/regulation/
eur-lex.europa.eueur-lex.europa.eu
  • 53eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/53/oj
unesco.orgunesco.org
  • 55unesco.org/en/legal-affairs/universal-declaration-bioethics-and-human-rights