Episode 20: Behind the Paper with Friederike Martin, Beatriz Domínguez-Gil, and Stefan Tullius

In this special panel, Stefan G. Tullius, MD, PhD (Editor-in-Chief, Transplantation), Friederike Martin, MD, and Beatriz Domínguez-Gil, MD, PhD discuss the findings of the landmark publication: 📄 Organ Donation and Transplantation Worldwide: The Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation 2024 Report Published in Transplantation (March 2026)  In 2024, a record 173,727 solid organ transplants were performed worldwide — the highest number ever reported to the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT). This represents a 2% increase from 2023, largely driven by growth in deceased donation, including continued expansion of donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD), which accounted for 28% of all deceased donations. The panel explores: 🔹 Global transplant activity trends across regions 🔹 The continued gap between supply and demand (over 668,000 patients waitlisted globally) 🔹 Geographic disparities in access to transplantation 🔹 The impact of DCD expansion and donor utilization rates 🔹 Ethical frameworks, transparency, and global benchmarking 🔹 The role of WHO and international collaboration in strengthening transplant systems Despite record-breaking numbers, more than 31,000 patients died in 2024 while waiting for a transplant, underscoring the ongoing global organ shortage and inequities in access. This discussion provides critical insights for clinicians, policymakers, researchers, and transplant professionals committed to expanding ethical access and strengthening donation systems worldwide. 📊 Read the full report: https://journals.lww.com/transplantjournal/fulltext/2026/03000/organ_donation_and_transplantation_worldwide__the.25.aspx #OrganDonation #Transplantation #GlobalHealth #WHO #GODT #DCD #HealthEquity #SolidOrganTransplant #TransplantationJournal