Record Organ Transplants in France 2025: Rising Demand & Donation Concerns
- France reached a record 2025 high of 6,148 organ transplants, according to the Agence de la biomédecine.
- “Good news: we’ve never transplanted so many organs,” stated Marine Jeantet, Director General of the Agence de la biomédecine, while also emphasizing that “it’s not enough” to meet...
- Despite the increase in transplants, 23,294 patients in France are currently on waiting lists, with 11,642 classified as urgent cases.
France reached a record high of 6,148 organ transplants, according to the Agence de la biomédecine. This surpasses the previous record set in and solidifies France’s position as one of the most active countries in the world for transplantation, trailing only Spain and the Netherlands. Despite this positive trend, the demand for organs continues to outstrip supply and a growing number of families are declining to donate.
“Good news: we’ve never transplanted so many organs,” stated Marine Jeantet, Director General of the Agence de la biomédecine, while also emphasizing that “it’s not enough” to meet the needs of all patients awaiting transplants. Kidney transplants remain the most common type of transplant, with over 600 performed using living donors in .
Despite the increase in transplants, 23,294 patients in France are currently on waiting lists, with 11,642 classified as urgent cases. Tragically, 966 patients died in due to a lack of available organs. Yvanie Caillé, president of the Renaloo association, described the results as “alarming,” noting that “nine out of ten patients waiting for a transplant need a kidney” and that “delays cost lives.”
Rising Opposition to Organ Donation
A significant challenge to increasing transplant numbers is a growing trend of opposition to organ donation. The rate of refusal by families following brain death reached 37.1% in , an unprecedented level. According to Benoît Averland, Director of Procurement, the number of registrations on the national refusal registry has also increased in , often following surges in the circulation of “fake news.” These rumors frequently involve unsubstantiated claims about organs being harvested from individuals who are not actually deceased.
France adopted a presumed consent law on , which presumes consent for organ donation unless individuals explicitly opt out. This shift aimed to overcome barriers related to obtaining family consent, which often resulted in refusals. This law aligns with a broader European trend towards opt-out systems, which have generally been associated with higher donation rates compared to opt-in models.
Authorities are now focusing on strengthening public information campaigns and building trust, particularly among younger adults. Marine Jeantet noted that “engagement among year olds is declining, likely due to misconceptions circulating on social media.” Health Minister Stéphanie Rist emphasized the need for better public education, stating that “the dissemination of reliable and verified information… is now a major focus” for improving access to transplantation.
Globally, saw a record 173,727 solid organ transplants performed worldwide, according to a report published in February . This represents the highest number ever reported to the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT). In contrast, in , France performed 6,034 transplants, an increase of 7.1% compared to , representing 401 more transplants. This growth aligns with the objectives outlined in the – Ministerial Plan for organ and tissue procurement and transplantation.
The increase in transplant activity in France is attributed to a significant rise in donation after circulatory death (DCD) – often referred to as heart-stop transplants – which increased by 12.8%. There was also a steady increase in the number of registered brain-dead donors (3,169 in , a 1.2% increase) and transplants performed using these donors (1,544, a 2.1% increase). Importantly, transplant activity grew at a faster rate (7.1%) than the number of active registrants on the national waiting list (5.5%), offering hope for patients awaiting transplantation if this trend continues.
While organ donation rates are improving in some parts of Europe, with Italy reporting 2,042 donations leading to 4,462 transplants in a single year, over 50,000 EU citizens remain on transplant waiting lists, highlighting the ongoing need for advocacy and policy reform.