Germany’s organ donation rates have reached their highest level in over a decade, according to data released Tuesday by the Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation (DSO). In 2025, a total of 985 individuals donated one or more organs post-mortem, a 3.4% increase from the previous year and translating to 11.8 donors per million inhabitants. While this represents a welcome development, the figures underscore an ongoing challenge: a persistent shortfall in available organs relative to the significant number of patients awaiting transplantation.
The increase in donations facilitated the distribution and transplantation of 3,020 organs – a 5.8% rise from 2024. These organs, encompassing kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreases and intestines, were distributed both within Germany and internationally through the Eurotransplant network. A total of 3,256 post-mortem organ transplants were performed across 43 German transplant centers, offering a crucial lifeline to 3,150 severely ill patients.
However, the progress is tempered by the reality that 8,199 individuals remain on waiting lists for organ transplants at the close of 2025, highlighting the urgent need for continued efforts to boost donation rates further. The disparity in donation rates across different regions of Germany remains a significant political and social issue. Notably, the eastern region, comprising the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, consistently demonstrates significantly higher donation rates-38% above the national average at 16.3 donors per million inhabitants.
This stark regional difference raises critical questions about the factors contributing to the discrepancy. Are there variations in public awareness campaigns, physician training in organ donation procedures, or cultural attitudes towards end-of-life decisions? Experts suggest a need to analyze the success factors in eastern Germany and implement similar strategies nationwide, alongside tailored approaches to address the specific challenges hindering donation rates in other regions. The DSO’s findings are likely to fuel renewed political debate regarding the prioritization of organ donation promotion and the equitable distribution of life-saving resources across the nation, particularly given the continuing backlog of patients desperately awaiting a transplant.
