BRAZIL: Associação Brasileira de Transplante de Órgãos Reports Record Transplants, Family Authorization Hinders More

Brazil Sets Record For Organ Donations And Transplants As kidney Procedures Lead

WORLD NEWS – BRAZIL: Brazil recorded the largest number of organ donations and transplants in its history in 2025, the Associação Brasileira de Transplante de Órgãos reported. kidney transplantation remained dominant, with nearly 67,700 procedures performed during the year, a 5.9% increase over 2024, underscoring the scale of the nation’s transplant activity.

Procurement of organs from deceased donors rose by 8.1%, helping drive the overall expansion in transplantation. liver transplants also increased, while heart and lung transplant procedures declined, signaling uneven recovery across different organ programs and renewed focus on capacity and resource allocation in specialized centers.

Despite the record year, thousands of Brazilians remain on waiting lists for life-saving transplants. Family authorization continues to be a principal barrier: under Brazilian law, organ removal depends on family consent even when individuals have registered their wish to donate. Health professionals point to persistent public misunderstanding about brain death and recurring challenges in communication with grieving families as key factors behind donation refusals.

Transplant surgeons, coordinators and public health advocates are calling for strengthened public education, improved hospital communication strategies, and targeted campaigns to broaden the culture of donation. The challenge for Brazil now is translating this historic momentum into sustained increases in transplantation access across all organs and regions.

Video originally published on 2026-05-16 10:01:27