Brazil recorded 31 thousand transplants in 2025a historic record in the country. The number rrepresents growth of 21% compared to 2022when 25.6 thousand transplants were performed. The result reflects the advancement of logistics and system organization across the countrywith the strengthening of institutional partnerships and the expanding patient access to transplants.
The consolidation of interstate distributioncoordinated by the National Transplant Center, has been decisive in this process. In 2025, this strategy enabled 867 kidney, 375 liver, 100 heart, 25 lung and four pancreas transplants, contributing to meeting clinical priorities and reducing losses of organs that are more sensitive to ischemia time.
The results also reflect the joint effort between the Ministry of Health, airlines and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to ensure the agile transport of organs and procurement and transplant teams. In 2025, 4,808 flights were made — an increase of 22% compared to 2022 —, which helps organs reach their destination on time, increasing the chances of transplantation and saving more lives in different regions of the country.
There was also increase in the number of capture teams, which helps to expand the identification of donors. These professionals increased from 1,537, in 2022, to 1,600 in 2026.
Despite advances, there is still a important challenge: family refusal to donate organs. Today, about 45% of families do not authorize donationwhich limits the number of transplants that could be performed. This is a decision that takes place at a difficult time, with pain and emotional impact. That’s why, Talking about the topic with your family makes a difference. When the desire to be a donor is known, the decision becomes safer and can help save other lives.
Training
The Ministry of Health has invested in the qualification of the National Transplant System (SNT). Among the initiatives is the National Quality Program in Organ and Tissue Donation for Transplants (Prodot), which prepares health professionals to identify potential donors, conduct interviews with families and qualify the entire donation process.
More than a thousand health professionals have already graduated in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, Rondônia, Tocantins, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, Goiás, Alagoas, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe.
Record
O cornea transplant was the most performed in 2025with 17,790 procedures. Next come kidney ones, with 6,697; bone marrow, with 3,993; liver, with 2,573; and heart, with 427. In all cases, the Unified Health System (SUS) provides patients with all necessary assistance free of chargeincluding preparatory exams, surgery, follow-up and post-transplant medications.
O SUS finances about 86% of two transplants in the countryensuring free and universal access. To guarantee qualified service, the Ministry of Health also allocated more resources to the National Transplant System (SNT) in 2025. While in 2022 the investment was R$1.1 billion, last year federal resources reached R$1.5 billion, a 37% growth.
Transplants
O Access to organ, tissue or bone marrow transplantation in Brazil occurs through the National Transplant System (SNT). To join the waiting list, the patient must be referred to a qualified health establishment, where they are evaluated by a specialized medical team and carry out the necessary tests. Once the indication for transplantation is confirmed, the responsible team registers the patient in the system, also recording the characteristics of the donor compatible with their clinical profile.
A The transplant waiting list is dynamic and varies according to the patients’ clinical condition and the availability of compatible donors. The SNT has undergone modernization in recent years, with the incorporation of new technologies and expanding access to specialized services. Among these initiatives, the Virtual Cross Test stands out, which allows the compatibility between donor and recipient to be previously assessed, reducing the risk of rejection and making the process more agile.
