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Germany Posts Slight Rise in Organ Donation as DSO Rules Out Turnaround

Officials warn most potential donations still fall through due to missing consent from families.

Overview

  • From January to October 2025, 836 deceased donors provided 2,523 organs, and 2,738 organs were transplanted in Germany, exceeding the same period in 2024.
  • Of 2,963 potential donations reported, 2,127 were not realized, with roughly half halted by lack of family consent.
  • Written donor declarations exist in only about 15% of potential cases, and when families must decide they approve in fewer than 25% of instances.
  • Regional disparities persist: donations rose in North Rhine-Westphalia to 506 organs, while Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland fell to 291, with declines also noted in the northeast.
  • Eurotransplant lists about 8,091 people in Germany awaiting organs, and authorities are urging citizens to document their wishes as some centers, including Jena, expand living-donation efforts.