Organ Donation in Germany: A Closer Look
Over three hundred thousand people have signed up in the Organ Donation Registry. - Approximately 330,000 individuals have registered as organ donors according to the Federal Institute's records.
In a bid to address the escalating demand for organ donation, the Federal Institute has been actively promoting organ donation registration. As of now, approximately 330,000 individuals have registered in the Organ Donation Registry, with the majority expressing their support for the cause.
Interestingly, about 84% of the registered individuals are fully on board with organ donation. A smaller percentage, around 6%, have specific reservations, excluding certain organs or tissues such as skin or cornea from the donation. A minuscule 0.9% have limited their donation to specific organs, such as the liver and kidneys, which are most frequently donated.
However, a significant chunk of 7.4% have registered their opposition to organ donation, while 1.6% have delegated this decision to another person in case of their demise. Surprisingly, opposition to organ donation is more pronounced among the elderly, with nearly 19% of those over 80 years old expressing their opposition. In contrast, less than 5% of those under 40 oppose organ donation.
Younger individuals, on the other hand, are more likely to exclude certain organs or tissues from donation, accounting for one in ten of those under 30.
Since March 2024, individuals can conveniently document their decision for or against organ and tissue donation online in the Organ Donation Registry at www.organspende-register.de. Besides this, health insurance companies likewise offer apps through which individuals can submit their declaration for or against organ donation. Additionally, an organ donation card or advance healthcare directive can serve the same purpose.
Despite these initiatives, over 8,200 people are currently waiting for a donor organ in Germany, a figure that underscores the ongoing challenge in meeting the demand for organs. The German Foundation for Organ Transplantation considers the number of organ donors after death, which stood at 953 in the previous year, as still inadequate.
Germany's organ donation system is managed by federal organizations, such as the German Foundation for Organ Transplantation (Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation, DSO) and the German Foundation for Tissue Transplantation (DGFG), which coordinate organ and tissue donation processes nationally.
Data from the DGFG indicates that in 2024, 57,067 potential donors were reported from over 330 medical facilities, resulting in 3,746 actual donors who contributed to tissue donation efforts. Organ donation rates in Germany, when measured per million population, are moderately lower compared to global figures. Nevertheless, a significant gap exists between public support and actual donor registration, highlighting the need for ongoing education and policy measures to boost organ donor rates and close the gap between supply and demand.
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