Brazil faces high organ donation refusal rates due to family consent challenges

In Brazil, family refusal remains a primary obstacle to increasing organ donations. According to data from the Brazilian Transplant Registry (RBT) and the Brazilian Association of Organ Transplantation (ABTO), approximately 45% of families interviewed in 2025 did not authorize organ removal after the death of a potential donor.

Despite this challenge, the country saw an increase in donor identification. Out of 15,940 notifications of potential donors, 4,335 resulted in effective donors, reaching a rate of 20.3 donors per million population, up from 19.2 in 2024.

Experts emphasize that effective communication is critical. Raul Canal of Anadem notes that the conversation regarding donation must begin long before the moment of death, as families often struggle to process the technical complexities of brain death during periods of intense emotional distress.

In facilities like the Hospital Universitário Cajuru, specialized commissions (CIHDOTT) work to support families through the process, providing humanized care and coordinating logistics with transplant centers to help families navigate the decision-making process during grief.