2017 AUSTRALIAN DONATION

AND TRANSPLANTATION
ACTIVITY REPORT

In 2017 The number of organ transplant

1,675 510 273

recipients under Australia’s program to
increase organ and tissue donation for
transplantation surpassed 10,000 in 2017.

lives deceased organ living organ Thanks to the generosity of donors and their families,
transformed by donors and donors donation and transplantation outcomes have increased
substantially since 2009.

Since the program started 3,464 deceased organ donors and

their families have benefited 10,096 transplant recipients.

10,000+
Over this time, the number of deceased organ donors has
more than doubled with 510 donors in 2017 compared with
247 in 2009. The number of organ transplant recipients
has increased by 75% with 1,402 Australians receiving a
transplant recipients since 2009 life-saving transplant from a deceased donor in 2017
compared with 799 in 2009.

PART 1: ORGAN DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION

Deceased organ donors and transplant recipients 2000–2017

1,500 600
1,447
1,402
10,096
2009–2017 503
500
1,200
510

400

900
+75%
Transplant recipients

799
Organ donors

300

247
600 +106%
3,464 200
2009–2017

300
100

0 Calendar year 0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

1 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Deceased organ donation and transplantation

While there was only a slight increase in the number of deceased
donors in 2017 (510) compared with 2016 (503), the outcome
was the highest achieved by Australia.
In Australia organ donation does not proceed unless there
is a suitable recipient for transplantation.
In 2017 there was a decrease in the number of transplant
recipients, 1,402 compared to 1,447 in 2016.
Donation is an infrequent event. Less than 2% of people in
Australia who die in hospital can become an organ donor as
particular circumstances must prevail in order for a patient to be
medically suitable for organ donation.
By way of example, in 2017, of the estimated 76,817 deaths that
occurred in hospitals, approximately 1,192 potential donors were
identified. Requests to families for donation were made in 1,093
cases, with 642 families consenting to donation. Of those, in 132
cases donation did not proceed for a variety of medical reasons.
The resulting 510 deceased organ donors saved and transformed
the lives of 1,402 organ transplant recipients and their families.

Australian population1
24,598,933
Australian deaths2
158,504
Deaths in hospital3
76,817
Potential donors4
1,192
Requested donors4
1,093
Consented donors5
642
Actual donors5

510

1,402 Transplant recipients5

1,469 Organ transplant procedures5

1,643 Organs transplanted5

Source:
1 Estimated Resident Population 30 June 2017, ABS 3101.0 Australian Demographic Statistics, (released 14
December 2017)
2 ABS 3302.0 Deaths, Australia, 2016 (released 27 September 2017)
3 AIHW Australian Hospital Statistics 2015–16 (released 17 May 2017)
4 Estimated using DonateLife Audit Data (February 2018)
5 Deceased Organ Donation in Australia, ANZOD, January 2018.

2 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Deceased organ donors and transplant recipients
  Organ donors     Transplant recipients

510
2017
1,402

+106%
503
2016
1,447

247
+75%
2009
799

0 300 600 900 1,200 1,500

Deceased organ donation and transplantation rates

The donors per million population rate (dpmp) for 2017 was
20.7 dpmp, largely unchanged from 20.8 dpmp in 2016 after
adjustment for population growth.
The transplant recipients per million population rate (trpmp)
was 57.0, lower than the 2016 outcome (60.0 trpmp).
Further growth in the transplantation rate will require
ongoing collaboration with states and territories and
professional associations to ensure that all potential donation
opportunities are realised and more Australians have access to
transplantation.

 dpmp    trpmp

20.7
2017
57.0

20.8
2016
60.0

11.4
2009
36.8

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Deceased organ donors by donation pathway

There are two pathways to deceased donation: Donation after In 2017, 359 deceased donors (70%) were from the DBD
Brain Death (DBD) and Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD). pathway, with 151 (30%) from the DCD pathway.

DonateLife Network staff are embedded in 88 hospitals to

ensure that all potential opportunities for donation are identified.
  Donation after Brain Death
  Donation after Circulatory Death

2017 359 151

2016 375 128

2009 205 42

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

3 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Deceased organ donation rates by jurisdiction

Jurisdictional outcomes in 2017 continued to demonstrate variation across states and territories,
with annual donation rates ranging from 12.2 to 36.5 dpmp.

 2009    2016    2017

dpmp

40

35

30

25
National
dpmp (2017)
20.7
20

15

10

5
17.7
17.7

12.1
23.1
23.4

10.9
21.9
21.3

20.5
23.4
18.6

18.0
20.9

21.2
36.5

24.5
12.2

14.1
32.3
22.0
9.9

8.5

9.9

8.8
0
NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT ACT

NT
Tasmania was the national leader in donation
outcomes, achieving a rate of 36.5 dpmp. 12.2 3
Victoria also achieved high outcomes with dpmp donors
23.4 dpmp. QLD
WA

The relatively small populations of the

20.9 54 21.3 105
Northern Territory, the Australian Capital dpmp donors
dpmp donors
Territory and Tasmania can result in significant AUS
fluctuations in outcomes and donation rates
from year to year. 20.7 510
dpmp donors

NSW

SA 17.7 135
dpmp donors
18.6 32
dpmp donors VIC ACT

23.4 148 22.0 14

dpmp donors dpmp donors

TAS

36.5 19
dpmp donors

4 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Deceased organ transplantation
It is possible for a single donor to save and improve the lives of many Australians through organ donation.

In 2017 there were 1,469 organ transplant procedures. Kidneys are the predominant organ donated
and transplanted.

2016:
832 821
281 314
206 196
98
124
5152
1
1
KIDNEYS LIVER LUNGS HEART PANCREAS INTESTINE

Living organ donation and transplantation

There were 273 living donors in 2017 comprising 271 living kidney and two living liver donors. This is a
slight increase from the total of 268 living donors in 2016 and a decrease of 9% from 2010 (300).

The total living kidney donors in 2017 included 48 through the Australian Paired Kidney Exchange (AKX)
program, the highest annual outcome since the program began in 2010.

The AKX program increases live donor kidney transplants by identifying matches for patients who are
eligible for a kidney transplant and have a living donor who is willing to donate but is not a suitable match.

The AKX program has resulted in 246 successful live kidney transplants since its establishment in 2010.

Living donors 2010, 2016 and 2017

  Living donors (minus AKX)     AKX donors

2017 225 48 273

2016 224 44 268 -9%

2010 297 3 300

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

5 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Consent rates
National consent rate 2017 State and territory consent rates 2017

44%
NT

59%
Consent rate
510donors
61%
QLD
51%
WA
59%
Increasing the national consent rate is critical AUS
to increasing the donation rate.
58%
Australia needs a consent rate of 70% to be in NSW
the top ten donation countries in the world. 63%
SA
59% 64%
VIC ACT

Demographics and case

mix may impact state and 77%
TAS
territory consent rates.

Registration and family knowledge of donation decision makes a difference

In Australia, families of potential deceased donors are always asked to confirm their loved one’s
donation decision. When the potential donor is registered, this is upheld by the family with nine out
of ten families agreeing to donation proceeding. Where the family has prior knowledge of a patient’s
wishes relating to donation, consent occurs in seven out of ten cases. When the family is unaware
90%
of their loved one's donation decision, consent occurs in four out of ten cases. DONOR
REGISTERED
In 2017 a streamlined online registration form was launched to enable people to join the Australian
Organ Donor Register (AODR). Increasing the number of Australians registered on the AODR will
support families in making donation decisions.

State and territory

registration rates 2017 13%
73%
NT FAMILY AWARE
OF DONATION DECISION

28%
QLD
38%
WA
34%
44%
AUS

40%
NSW
68% DONOR NOT REGISTERED
SA
20% 23% AND FAMILY UNAWARE OF
DONATION DECISION
VIC ACT

Adult Australians (16 years and over)

can record their donation decision on the 49%
Australian Organ Donor Register. TAS

6 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Involvement of trained donation specialists makes a difference
Consideration of organ and tissue donation comes at an intensely emotional time for families and
can be challenging for all involved. Specific knowledge is required to support families and their
decision-making at this time, and it is critical that information is provided in a clear and sensitive
manner that is appropriate to the needs of individuals. Supporting families during their time of loss
and grief is an important part of the provision of care.

In Australia, families consent to donation in seven out of ten cases when they are supported by a
trained donation specialist. Families consent to donation in four out of ten cases when there is no
trained donation specialist involved.

Specialist communication training is provided to health professionals and donation specialists so

that they can support families to make an informed donation decision that is right for them and
their family.

The training program continues to build the capacity and expertise in our health system to deliver
optimal care and support to all donor families.

Family donation conversations

Donor
family

Trained
72% Donor
family 45% Medical
Staff

CONSENT Medical CONSENT

donation
Staff
specialist

7 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

PART 2: EYE AND TISSUE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION

Each year the lives of thousands of Australians are transformed through the transplantation of
donated eye and tissue. Many more people can become eye and tissue donors as donation can
occur up to 24 hours after death.

In 2017, over 9,600 Australians benefited from eye and tissue donation.

Of the 510 deceased organ donors, 309 also donated eye and/or tissue. In addition there were
4,248 living tissue donations predominantly from patients undergoing joint replacement surgery.

Deceased organ and tissue donors 2017

201 510
In 2017 more than half of deceased organ
donors were also eye and/or tissue donors.
1,369 Organ donors
Eye donors

99
105
105
1,028 137
17 364
Tissue donors

Eye donors and

NT
tissue donors by
jurisdiction 2017 0 1
eye tissue

QLD
WA

137 623 415 869

eye tissue
eye tissue AUS

1,369 4,521
eye tissue

NSW

380 2,248
SA eye tissue

99 302
eye tissue VIC ACT

279 402 46 6
eye tissue eye tissue

TAS

13 70
eye tissue

8 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

Eye donation and transplantation

Eye donors 2009, 2016 and 2017

In 2017 there was a record 1,369 eye donors. This represents a 7% increase in the number of eye donors
compared with 2016 (1,281) and a 48% increase since 2009 (922).

Eye donation rates continued to meet demand in 2017.

2017 1,369

2016 1,281 +48%

2009 922

0 300 600 900 1,200 1,500

Corneal transplants 2012, 2016 and 2017

There was also a record number of corneal transplants in 2017 (2,175) with a 4% increase compared with 2016 (2,085)
and a 12% increase over 2012 (1,942).

Since 2012, over 12,000 Australians have received a corneal transplant.

2017 2,175

2016 2,085 +12%

2012 1,942

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Tissue donation and transplantation

The 2017 outcome of 4,521 tissue donors comprised 92% living tissue donors and 8% deceased tissue donors.

Living tissue donations 2013, 2016 and 2017

There were 4,248 living tissue donations in 2017 predominantly from patients undergoing joint replacement surgery.
This represents a 10% increase over 2016 (3,867) and 12% increase since 2013.

2017 4,248

2016 3,867 +12%

2013 3,805

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000

9 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

 Deceased tissue donation 2012, 2016 and 2017
The 364 deceased tissue donors in 2017 resulted in 547 tissue donations. This represents a 16% decrease
in the number of tissue donations compared with 2016 (650) and a 67% increase over 2012 (327).

There were 227 musculoskeletal, 163 cardiovascular, 148 skin and 9 pancreas islets tissue donations.

  Deceased organ and tissue donations     Deceased tissue only donations

2017 94 133
Musculoskeletal

2016 90 171

2012 43 83

2017 117 46
Cardiovascular

2016 105 55

2012 53 36

2017 60 88
Skin

2016 70 151

2012 35 73

2017 9
Pancreas Islets

2016 8

2012 4

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Notified tissue transplant recipients 2013, 2016 and 2017

In 2017 there were 7,470 notified tissue transplant recipients (excluding recipients of pancreas
islets), largely unchanged from 2016 (7,468) and a 102% increase since 2013 (3,691). These
included 7,161 recipients of musculoskeletal tissue, 231 recipients of cardiovascular tissue and
78 recipients of skin tissue.

2017 7,161
Musculoskeletal

2016 7,073

2013 3,436

2017 231
Cardiovascular

2016 230

2013 166

2017 78
Skin

2016 165

2013 89

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000

10 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au

 We thank and acknowledge those Australians who became organ
and/or tissue donors during 2017, along with their families who
agreed to donation. We also acknowledge the clinicians dedicated
to consideration of donation as a routine part of end-of-life care.
Without this collective commitment to donation, transplantation
and its life-changing benefits would not be possible.

For more information

Organ and Tissue Authority
Level 6, 221 London Circuit Canberra ACT 2600
PO Box 295 Civic Square ACT 2608
T  02 6198 9800  |  F  02 6198 9801
donatelife.gov.au

11 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2017 donatelife.gov.au