Number of patients active on organ transplant waiting list in Germany 2016-2018

In 2018, the majority of individuals active on the organ donor list in Germany were waiting for a kidney. At approximately 10.6 thousand waiting for a kidney in 2018, this was fewer patients waiting than in the preceding two years. The number of patients waiting for a liver, heart or lung transplant has also decreased across the three-year period.

Transplant activity in Germany

In 2018, 27.8 kidney transplants per million population were carried out in Germany, an increase from 2016 when this rate was at 25.9 per million population. Kidney transplants are the most common organ transplant procedure carried out in Germany, ahead of liver and lung transplant with a rate of 10.7 and 3.9 per million population respectively. Although, there were 935 patients in Germany who died on the transplant waiting list, over half of the deceased were waiting for a kidney transplant.

European comparisons

The rate of kidney transplant procedures in Germany is low compared to many other European countries. In 2018, Germany ranked 21st out of the European Union countries in the rate of kidney transplants. Spain had the highest rate with 71.4 procedures per million population.