Italy records highest organ transplants in 2025, second in Europe

The National Transplant Center (Centro Nazionale Trapianti) reported that Italy performed 4,678 organ transplants in 2025, a record high and 36 more than the previous year. The country logged 3,290 potential donors in intensive care units, of which 1,760 actually donated, raising the donation rate to 29.8 donors per million inhabitants, placing Italy second in Europe after Spain.

Donations after cardiac death surged, with 428 donors (a 50.7% increase) enabling 897 transplants, a 44.2% rise and accounting for about 21% of deceased‑donor activity. Live donations also grew to 387, mainly kidneys and livers. The most active regions were Veneto (49.3 donors per million), Tuscany (45.6) and Emilia‑Romagna (42.2). Organ‑specific totals included 2,367 kidney, 1,753 liver, 451 heart, 144 lung and 35 pancreas transplants. At year‑end, 8,401 patients remained on waiting lists, with average waiting times of 20 months for kidneys and around 8 months for other organs. The refusal rate in intensive care stayed at 29.2%, preventing roughly 2,400 potential transplants.