German Organ Donations Rise 3.8% to 772 as 8,000 Still Wait
Frankfurt am Main – October 29, 2026 -- Germany recorded 772 postmortem organ donors from January to September 2026, up 28 or 3.8% on the same period last year, the Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation (DSO) said at the opening of its 22nd Annual Congress.
Organs removed in Germany and allocated through Eurotransplant for transplantation at home or abroad totaled 2,373, compared with 2,258 a year earlier, a gain of 115 organs.
DSO says about 8,000 patients still wait for a donor organ
DSO Medical Director Dr. Axel Rahmel said the positive trend from last year continues but remains well short of what is needed for the roughly 8,000 people on German waiting lists. He cited the lack of a documented decision by potential donors as a key reason for low numbers. Most Germans view donation favorably, but few record that stance in writing, and the resulting uncertainty often leads relatives to refuse consent.