started · updated
Brazil faces organ donation refusal and rising cornea transplant waits
Brazil is facing significant challenges in its organ and tissue transplant systems. The average family refusal rate for organ donation has reached 45%, a figure that varies by state and hospital. Experts from the Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine (AMIB) suggest that this high refusal rate is often driven by institutional failures, such as inadequate communication, the use of overly technical language, and a lack of empathetic support for grieving families during the decision-making process.
To address this, AMIB and the Ministry of Health have trained 2,534 health professionals between September 2025 and August 2026, exceeding their initial goal by 25%. This training focuses on improving humanized communication and the clinical management of potential donors.
Simultaneously, the cornea transplant sector is seeing a surge in demand. According to the Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology (CBO), 37,719 people are currently on the waiting list, a significant increase from December 2025. While Brazil achieved a record 17,790 cornea transplants in 2025, the waiting list continues to grow due to rising medical indications. Consequently, the average wait time for a cornea transplant has risen to 370 days, more than double the 174 days recorded a decade ago. Contributing factors include the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising costs of imported medical supplies, and a lack of price adjustments for surgical procedures.
Entities
Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira · Brasil · Brazil · Conselho Brasileiro de Oftalmologia · Cristiano Franke · Ministry of Health · Ministério da Saúde
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 10 SOURCES] The average family refusal rate for organ donation in Brazil is 45%. feirahoje.com.br · itapevinoticias.com.br · portalterradaluz.com.br · tconline.com.br · clicrdc.com.br · +4 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The average waiting time for a cornea transplant in Brazil is 370 days, more than double the 174 days recorded a decade ago. www.gazetaderiopreto.com.br · imagemnews.com.br · imprensapublica.com.br · mrnews.com.br · rpnews.com.br
- [● 10 SOURCES] Inadequate hospital communication and lack of family support are major obstacles to organ donation authorization. feirahoje.com.br · itapevinoticias.com.br · portalterradaluz.com.br · tconline.com.br · clicrdc.com.br · +4 more
- [DISPUTED] The number of people waiting for cornea transplants in Brazil has reached 37,719. www.gazetaderiopreto.com.br · imagemnews.com.br · imprensapublica.com.br · mrnews.com.br · rpnews.com.br
- [● 9 SOURCES] AMIB and the Ministry of Health trained 2,534 health professionals to improve organ donation processes and communication. feirahoje.com.br · itapevinoticias.com.br · portalterradaluz.com.br · tconline.com.br · grnews.com.br · +3 more