🇺🇾
Uruguay · INDT · Ministry of Public Health
Donating in Uruguay
Uruguay is a regional leader in organ donation. Since Law 14.005 of 1971 it has applied presumed consent: we are all donors at death, unless an explicit statement to the contrary. It was one of the first countries in the world to adopt it
The Instituto Nacional de Donación y Trasplante (INDT), under the MSP, coordinates the system. 2023 rate: 19.7 pmp; all-time record: 23.4 pmp
Key figures for Uruguay
2023 Rate
19.7 pmp
national effective donation (INDT)
All-time record
23.4 pmp
Uruguay's historical maximum
Transplants 2025
164
organ transplants (INDT, end of 2025)
Waiting list
770
people waiting for an organ (May 2026)
Source: INDT Uruguay · Statistics updated to December 2024
The public system
How donation works in Uruguay
Governing body and law
The Instituto Nacional de Donación y Trasplante de Células, Tejidos y Órganos (INDT), under the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), coordinates the Uruguayan system. Law 14.005 of 1971 is the foundational framework: it established presumed consent, making Uruguay one of the first countries in the world to adopt it. Law 18.968 of 2012 created the INDT as the governing body.
In practice: every person is a donor at death, unless they have left an explicit record of opposition. That is why it remains crucial that your family knows your wishes.
How to express your wishes
- 1
The law presumes your positive intent: you are a donor at death without needing to do any paperwork
- 2
If you want to object: register your wish with the INDT or the MSP
- 3
In both cases, share your decision with your family — family conversation reinforces respect for your wishes
- 4
The national system assigns the organ based on objective medical criteria (compatibility, urgency, time on waiting list). INDT toll-free line: 0800-1835
Living donation
Living kidney donation
Uruguay has a consolidated living kidney donation program. The Fondo Nacional de Recursos (FNR) funds high-cost treatments and supports equitable access to transplantation
Donor requirements
- Over 18 years old, legal capacity
- Related by consanguinity or affinity, spouse, or partner
- Medically, psychologically, and socially suitable
- Non-related: requires a justified resolution from the Ethics Committee
Coverage and protection
- Coverage under the National Integrated Health System (SNIS)
- Fondo Nacional de Recursos (FNR) for financing
- Special leave and employment protection after donation
- Any financial compensation is prohibited
Main centers
The INDT is headquartered at the Hospital de Clínicas of the University of the Republic, the country's main transplant center
Hospital de Clínicas "Dr. Manuel Quintela"
Montevideo · University of the Republic (UDELAR) · INDT headquarters · Multi-organ transplant program
Fondo Nacional de Recursos (FNR)
Montevideo · Funds high-cost treatments, including transplants, ensuring equitable access
Hospital Italiano
Montevideo · Institution with transplant activity in the Uruguayan health system
Transplant patient associations
trasplantados.org.uy · Support for transplanted people and those on the waiting list
Regional leadership
Uruguay, a presumed-consent pioneer
"Behind every transplant there is a story of waiting, effort, and commitment… the value of donors and their families, whose altruistic decision becomes an opportunity for others" — INDT Uruguay, World Transplant Patient Day, June 2026
With Law 14.005 of 1971, Uruguay was one of the first countries in the world to establish presumed consent. The National Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of November (Law No. 17.406/2001), with tributes to donors and their families. In 2025, the new Minister of Public Health, Dr. Cristina Lustemberg, prioritized strengthening the donation and transplant network
Official data and campaigns
The INDT publishes annual statistical reports and the toll-free "Yo amo la vida" line 0800-1835
Talk with your family
In Uruguay, the law presumes your wish to donate. The best way to ensure it is to talk about it at home. You can also read the stories of people who have lived through the process
Verified sources
This page summarizes public information from INDT Uruguay and Law 14.005 of 1971. Medical and legal decisions are yours and your healthcare team's