Summary statistics on organ transplants, wait-lists and donors
Key links
Data tables: Summary Statistics on Organ Transplants, Wait-Lists and Donors, 2023 (XLSX)
Infographic: Organ transplants in Canada: Donations and need
Contact:
June 6, 2024 — Despite increasing awareness of the importance of organ donation, the need for life-saving organ transplants in Canada remains high. The Canadian Organ Replacement Register (CORR) summary statistics provide a snapshot of organ transplants, wait-lists and donors in Canada in 2023, using aggregate-level data from Canada’s 12 organ donation organizations.
Use the 2023 summary statistics in the Featured material section to examine more detailed organ transplant, wait-list and donor data, and download the infographic for a visual synopsis of organ transplant procedures and wait-lists.
Key findings
- A total of 3,428 organ transplants were performed in Canada in 2023; 83% of transplants used deceased donor organs and 17% used living donor organs.
- Of the organs from living donors, 54% were from related donors while 46% were from unrelated donors.
- Of the total transplants, 59% were kidney, 19% liver, 13% lung, 5% heart, 2% pancreas and 2% combination transplants.
- 4% of all transplants that occurred in 2023 used organs donated following medical assistance in dying (MAID).
- Of the 952 deceased donors in 2023, 67% donated following neurological determination of death, 27% donated following death determination by circulatory criteria (non-MAID) and 6% donated following MAID.
- As of December 31, 2023, a total of 3,427 Canadians were on wait-lists to receive a transplant; 60% were active on wait-lists and 40% were on hold for a short period of time.
- In 2023, a total of 681 Canadians were removed from the organ transplant wait-lists; of these, 31% had died while waiting.
Featured material
2023 summary statistics
Summary statistics on organ transplants, wait-lists and donors, including the number of patients who died while waiting for a vital organ transplant.
Infographic
A visual representation of the latest summary statistics for heart, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas transplantation.
Historical summary statistics
Contributing organ donation organizations
- Organ Procurement and Exchange of Newfoundland and Labrador (OPEN) — Newfoundland and Labrador
- Multi-Organ Transplant Program — Nova Scotia
- Legacy of Life and Critical Care Organ Donation — Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick Organ and Tissue Program — New Brunswick
- Transplant Québec — Quebec
- Ontario Health (Trillium Gift of Life Network) — Ontario
- Transplant Manitoba — Gift of Life Program — Manitoba
- The Saskatchewan Transplant Program — Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- The Saskatchewan Health Authority Donation Program — Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan
- Southern Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Program (SAOTDP) — Calgary, Alberta
- Human Organ Procurement and Exchange (HOPE) Program — Edmonton, Alberta
- BC Transplant — British Columbia
Related resources
Key links
Data tables: Summary Statistics on Organ Transplants, Wait-Lists and Donors, 2023 (XLSX)
Infographic: Organ transplants in Canada: Donations and need
Contact:
How to cite:
Canadian Institute for Health Information. Summary statistics on organ transplants, wait-lists and donors. Accessed October 12, 2024.
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