Italian organ donation initiatives

In late July 2026 the Marche regional council approved a €330,000 budget for 2026 to reinforce its organ transplant and donation network. The funding, which follows a €300,000 allocation the previous year, is aimed at staff training, improving hospital coordination, and promoting a donation culture among young people. Regional health officials highlighted recent transplant statistics—52 liver and 32 kidney transplants in 2025—and noted that Marche’s average waiting time for liver transplants (0.6 years) is well below the national average (1.6 years).

A week later, multiorgan retrievals were carried out in Ascoli Piceno and Vibo Valentia, involving coordinated teams from the Regional Transplant Center of Marche and major hospitals in Udine, Milan, Ancona and others. The donations included heart, liver, kidneys, corneas and additional organs, with one liver split for two pediatric recipients. The procedures are expected to save seven patients, demonstrating the practical impact of the newly funded network on organ availability and patient outcomes across Italy.