Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Organ Donation and Transplantation Activities: Global Scenario

Authors

  • Josélio Emar de Araújo Queiroz Universidade de Brasília – Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Laboratório de Evidências e Estudos Farmacêuticos – Departamento de Farmácia – Brasília (DF), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1549-4045
  • Francisco Álisson Paula de França Universidade de Brasília – Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Laboratório de Evidências e Estudos Farmacêuticos – Departamento de Farmácia – Brasília (DF), Brzsil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5579-6785
  • Rodrigo Fonseca Lima Universidade de Brasília – Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Laboratório de Evidências e Estudos Farmacêuticos – Departamento de Farmácia – Brasília (DF), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8173-4425
  • Rafael Santos Santana Universidade de Brasília – Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Laboratório de Evidências e Estudos Farmacêuticos – Departamento de Farmácia – Brasília (DF), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4481-210X
  • Elivan Silva Souza Universidade de Brasília – Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Laboratório de Evidências e Estudos Farmacêuticos – Departamento de Farmácia – Brasília (DF), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5143-2362
  • Fernando Antibas Atik Instituto de Cardiologia do Distrito Federal – Brasília (DF), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3394-9493
  • José Osmar Medina de Abreu Pestana Universidade Federal de São Paulo – Faculdade de Medicina – São Paulo (SP), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0750-7360
  • Lídia Einsfeld Universidade de Brasília – Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde – Laboratório de Evidências e Estudos Farmacêuticos – Departamento de Farmácia – Brasília (DF), Brazil|Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre – Porto Alegre (RS), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5222-233X

Keywords:

Delivery of Health Care, COVID-19, Indicators and Reagents, Organ Transplantation

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the donation and transplant process in the global context. Methods:  An ecological study was conducted from 2017 to 2021, examining the numbers of donors and transplants, as well as cases and deaths related to COVID-19. Simple linear regression analysis was used in two blocks: between 2017 and 2020, and between 2017 and 2021. We considered rates per million population to assess the impacts. Results:  The study included 10 countries, and Portugal showed the most significant impact on the effective donor rate, with a decrease of 4,463.8 (95% confidence interval [95%CI] -5,103.2–-3,824.4), followed by Spain (-3,964.4; 95%CI -5,850.2–-2,078.6), Mexico (-3,879.3; 95%CI -4,688.6–-3,069.9), and Australia (-309; 95%CI -565.3–-52.7), unlike the United States of America, which showed an increase. In terms of transplant rates, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, France, Iran, and Mexico stood out, also showing decreases. Conclusion:  The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on the donation and transplant process in several countries, and characterizing these effects is fundamental to resuming activities.

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Published

2026-09-08

How to Cite

1.
Queiroz JE de A, França F Álisson P de, Fonseca Lima R, Santana RS, Souza ES, Atik FA, et al. Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Organ Donation and Transplantation Activities: Global Scenario. bjt [Internet]. 2026 Sep. 8 [cited 2026 Sep. 12];29. Available from: https://bjt.emnuvens.com.br/revista/article/view/809

Issue

Vol. 29 (2026)

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Original Paper

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Copyright (c) 2026 Josélio Emar de Araújo Queiroz, Francisco Álisson Paula de França, Rodrigo Fonseca Lima, Rafael Santos Santana, Elivan Silva Souza, Fernando Antibas Atik, José Osmar Medina de Abreu Pestana, Lídia Einsfeld

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