IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON 2020 TRANSPLANT ACTIVITY AND WAITING LISTS IN FRANCE

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic strongly affected organ procurement and transplantation in France, despite the intense efforts of all participants in this domain. In 2020, the identification and procurement of deceased donors fell by 12% and 21% respectively, compared with the mean of the preceding 2 years. Similarly, the number of new registrations on the national waiting list declined by 12% and the number of transplants by 24%. The 3-month cumulative incidence of death or drop out for worsening condition of patients awaiting a liver transplant was significantly greater in 2020 compared to the previous 2 years. Continuous monitoring at the national level of early post-transplant outcomes showed no deterioration for any organ in 2020. At the end of 2020, less than 1% of transplant candidates and less than 1% of graft recipients — of any organ — had died of COVID-19.