Organ and tissue donation and transplantation

Published on 23 April 2025

Every year, thousands of patients can be saved or have their quality of life improved thanks to an organ or tissue transplant. Organ donation is only possible thanks to the solidarity and generosity of donors, whether during their lifetime or after their death. The Agence de la biomédecine organizes and coordinates the entire donation, procurement and transplantation system, ensuring fair access to transplants. It ensures that practices are safe, that the legislative framework is respected, in particular with regard to anonymity and free donation and transplantation, and works actively to promote organ and tissue donation among the general public.

Organizing donation and transplantation throughout France

Organ and tissue procurement and transplantation involves a complex, coordinated chain, from donor identification to patient transplantation. Hospital organ and tissue procurement coordinators play a key role, identifying potential donors, assisting families, organizing the necessary tests and coordinating procurement logistics with transplant teams. The Agence de la biomédecine is responsible for the national distribution of transplants according to medical and emergency criteria, in order to guarantee equitable access to transplants for all patients, wherever they may be, on the basis of exclusively medical criteria.

Manage and coordinate activities

The Agence de la biomédecine oversees all activities relating to organ and tissue donation, procurement and transplantation in France. It issues authorizations to healthcare establishments, establishes financing arrangements and coordinates the distribution of transplants, in compliance with the framework set out in the French bioethics laws.

The Agency also manages a number of registers and applications that are essential to the smooth operation of the system, including the national transplant waiting list, the living donor registry, the cross-donor registry, the corneal transplant database and the National Refusal Registry.

Monitor practices and guarantee patient safety

The Agence de la biomédecine monitors the activities of healthcare establishments involved in organ procurement and transplantation. It carries out regular inspections, coordinates the national biovigilance system to detect and analyze serious incidents and adverse events, and conducts quality audits in establishments to support the continuous improvement of practices. It also draws up recommendations for healthcare professionals, in conjunction with learned societies, in order to improve and harmonize practices.

The Agency also oversees the collection and analysis of data relating to donation and transplantation, in order to produce reliable indicators for the whole of France. These data are essential for adapting public policies, assessing needs and guiding national strategies. It also supports research in this field through an annual call for projects, designed to advance medical and scientific knowledge for the benefit of patients.

Promoting donation and raising public awareness

The Agence de la biomédecine carries out information and awareness-raising campaigns to publicize the principles of organ and tissue donation, and to encourage everyone to speak out and make their position known. It designs national campaigns in conjunction with its institutional partners, healthcare professionals and patient associations, notably on the occasion of the National Day of Reflection on Organ Donation, organized every year on June 22 at the Agency's initiative. The aim of these initiatives is to raise awareness of the issues involved in post-mortem donation, as well as the possibilities of living donation. The aim is to develop a shared culture of solidarity and civic commitment around these issues, and to promote organ and tissue donation, which concerns us all.