The Global Gulf in Organ Donation Rates

Data from the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Health Care (EDQM) shows that Spain came out on top for the highest rates of organ donors in 2022, with 47 deceased donors per million population, respectively. This high rate is often linked to its opt-out system. Or, in other words, when someone dies, the default will be to donate their organs where possible, unless the person had specifically turned down the option of a transplant. Relatives can also usually reject the process if they say the deceased person would not have wanted it.

The United States’ organ donation rate is 44.5 deceased donors per million population. This is perhaps more surprising, given that it has an opt-in system. In its case though, the barrier for registration is relatively low, as in most states, you can register to be a donor when applying for or renewing a driver’s license. This is a fairly logical, if macabre, step, considering the grim reality that one third of organ donations in the U.S. come from people who have been in fatal vehicle accidents, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.