Stefan Tullius (US)

In this special Behind the Paper panel, *Cynthia Tsien, MD**, **Tanjala Purnell, PhD, MPH**, **Nazia Selzner, MD, PhD**, and **Stefan G. Tullius, MD, PhD* (Editor-in-Chief, *Transplantation*) discuss the key insights from:

📄 *Global Strategies for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Transplantation: Insights From the Inaugural International Congress*
Perspectives: Meeting Report – Published in Transplantation (February 2026)

Despite decades of progress in transplantation science, inequities persist — affecting both the transplant workforce and the patients we serve. Many professionals report challenges related to gender, race, or sexual orientation, as well as inequities in leadership opportunities, promotion, and compensation. These structural barriers contribute to work-related stress and burnout.

At the same time, disparities in access to transplantation remain evident across all organ types and throughout every stage of the transplant process — from referral to waitlisting to post-transplant outcomes.

This discussion highlights the outcomes of a landmark international conference held in Toronto, Canada (September 13–14, 2024), which convened global transplant leaders, clinicians, nurses, researchers, and patients across organ groups. Endorsed by multiple international transplant societies, the meeting identified critical workforce and patient-centered inequities — and proposed actionable strategies for systemic change.

The panel explores:

🔹 Structural inequities within transplant professional environments
🔹 Persistent disparities in patient access and outcomes
🔹 Leadership representation and pathways to advancement
🔹 Burnout, inclusion, and psychological safety in transplant teams
🔹 Global collaboration and accountability frameworks
🔹 Policy and institutional strategies to advance equity

This important conversation provides practical recommendations for institutions, societies, policymakers, and transplant professionals committed to building a more inclusive and equitable transplant ecosystem worldwide.

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.

https://journals.lww.com/transplantjournal/fulltext/10.1097/tp.0000000000005657~organ-donation-and-transplantation-worldwide-the-global