2023 Organ Donation Report - RECORD INCREASE IN ORGAN DONATIONS: GROWTH THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE URGENT NEED FOR ACTION

MONTREAL, Feb. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - Transplant Québec in 2023 marked a record year for organ donations in Quebec, with several indicators trending upwards. This performance was reflected in a significant surge in the volume of activities in 2023: an increase of close to 35% in the number of referrals, a 20% increase in the number of deceased donors and transplanted organs, and a 17% increase in the number of Quebecers who benefitted from a transplant. "These positive results clearly put pressure on all the spheres of the ecosystem, which come into play when an organ is allocated," said Martine Bouchard, Executive Director of Transplant Québec.

These results again highlight more fragile areas across the organ donation and transplantation process as a whole. Several crucial adjustments are required to support this growth, notably in regards to the legislative framework and the resources allocated to coordinate this critical process. "This growth shows that Quebec must take timely action on the overall organization of the process, and on training health professionals. Just as important take action on the availability and development of the human, material and financial resources required to achieve our mission which is to save lives," said Martine Bouchard.

While the figures cited in this 2023 report show an increase, the number of potential donors remains lower than what Quebec is capable of reaching. "In concrete terms, this means that people who require an organ and are currently registered on our waiting list are dying, so we know that we can do better," explained Martine Bouchard.

2023 highlights at a glance:

• 1,156 organ donation referrals made to Transplant Québec.
• 853 people registered on the single waiting list managed by Transplant Québec (as of December 31).
• 569 people received a transplant in Quebec thanks to the generosity of deceased donors and their families.
• Waiting times for people requiring a lung transplant are at an historical low, with an average of 57 days, while the number of people waiting for a heart transplant (32) is at its lowest level in 10 years.
• 206 deceased donors in Quebec made it possible to transplant 696 organs.

Top-three performances in Quebec
In terms of organ donation referrals, the metropolitan region ranks first, per capita, among the best-performing regions in Quebec, with a rate of 26.3 potential donors per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by the Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec (19.3) and the Capitale-Nationale (16.8). Also important to mention is that the Bas-Saint-Laurent region posted a spectacular increase of more than 230% in the number of its referrals during the past year. It bears recalling that referrals are made to Transplant Québec by a health professional who identifies a potential donor based on standard procedures applied in organ donation or organ donation in a medical aid in dying context (MAID).

The 2023 Quebec Organ Donation Report is available here.
The complementary fact sheet can be viewed here.

About Transplant Québec
The Minister of Health and Social Services has mandated Transplant Québec to save lives and improve the health of persons in need of a transplant by coordinating the organ donation process, ensuring the equitable allocation of organs, supporting best clinical practices through consensus building and the mobilization of its partners, and promoting organ donation in society. Transplant Québec strives to ensure that as many Quebecers as possible who are waiting on an organ can receive a transplant in a timely manner.

SOURCE Transplant Québec

Sandy Bastien, Transplant Québec, 514-286-1414, extension 219 / 514-606-2130, [email protected]; Diane Jeannotte, 514-772-8019, [email protected]