Spain achieved a historic milestone in 2024 with 6,464 organ transplants, marking a 10% increase from the previous year. “This is an unprecedented achievement,” said Mónica García, Spain’s Minister of Health, during a press conference.
The country now boasts 52.6 donors per million inhabitants, far surpassing the EU average of 22.9 and edging out the United States, which stands at 48.1.
Pioneering techniques in organ donation
A significant factor in Spain’s success is its leadership in donations after circulatory death. In 2024, over half of all donors, a total of 1,316, were classified as donors after cardiac arrest. This technique, known as “donation after cessation of circulation,” has revolutionised organ transplantation, with nearly one-third of heart transplants in Spain performed using this method. Spain remains a global pioneer in this field.
Transplants by the numbers
Spain’s record-breaking year included:
- Kidney transplants: 4,047
- Liver transplants: 1,344
- Lung transplants: 623
- Heart transplants: 347
- Pancreatic transplants: 98
- Intestinal transplants: 5
Since the national transplant programme began, Spain has conducted over 140,000 transplants. “This is a figure the entire nation can be proud of,” García stated. However, challenges remain, with 5,096 patients still on waiting lists, including 73 children.
Regional leaders in organ donation
Cantabria leads Spain with 94.4 donors per million inhabitants, followed by Navarre (76.1) and Murcia (69.4). These regions’ success reflects the strength of Spain’s decentralised healthcare system and its emphasis on regional cooperation.
Inter-regional collaboration
Beatriz Domínguez-Gil, Director of the National Organisation for Transplantation (ONT), highlighted the importance of cooperation between autonomous communities. In 2024, 23% of transplants involved organs donated outside the region where the surgery was performed, demonstrating the efficiency of Spain’s interconnected system.
The transplant programme also addressed 308 emergency cases, conducted 197 paediatric surgeries, and provided solutions for 140 highly sensitised patients—individuals with antibodies that make matching more challenging.
Spain’s oldest donor in 2024
An 88-year-old donor became a symbol of the programme’s adaptability, enabling two kidney transplants and a liver transplant. Most Spanish donors in 2024 were aged over 60 (59%), with 5% aged 80 or older. The main cause of death among donors was cardiovascular accidents (52%), while deaths from trauma accounted for just 5%, a 15% decrease since the early 2000s.
Euthanasia Act and its impact on transplants
In 2024, the implementation of Spain’s Euthanasia Act contributed to 154 donors, resulting in 442 organ transplants. The integration of euthanasia cases into the national transplant system demonstrates Spain’s ability to adapt to new legal frameworks while maintaining its ethical standards.