Report: Canadian Eye and Tissue Data Committee 2019

National System Performance data - 2019

Beginning in 2012, Canadian Blood Services, on behalf of the Eye and Tissue Data Committee (ETDC), received data submissions from all Canadian eye and tissue programs. Data definitions were established and data training delivered to the Canadian eye and tissue community.

Canadian Blood Services maintains and collates data for review by the ETDC. Each year a summary report is generated. The purpose of this report is to provide information and insights into the Canadian recovery, processing and distribution of ocular and tissue allografts across Canada.

Prospective data collection was initiated in 2012. In 2019, data was submitted from 16 eye and tissue banks and one recovery program representing a census of all Canadian eye and tissue banking activity (results were not available for select metrics for certain programs, as indicated). Data on allografts imported by Canadian tissue banks from the United States was available for the first time in 2016; however, data on allografts imported directly by Canadian hospitals from the United States is not readily available.

National results on key metrics

  • In 2019, Canadian eye and tissue banks received 57,968 deceased donor referrals for potential tissue donation, which represents an 7% increase relative to 2018; 55% of those approached consented to tissue donation, based on data from 8,643 approaches.
  • Hospitals were the referring agency for 86% of referrals for actual deceased donors in 2019, an increase from 83% in 2018. The second largest source, accounting for 6% of referrals in 2019, was extended care facilities such as nursing homes and hospices.
  • In 2019, tissue was recovered from 4,747 deceased donors, representing a 3% increase from the previous year.  Tissue was recovered from 115 living donors, a 42% decrease from 2018.
  • Results relating to ocular tissues in 2019 were generally comparable to 2018 results; there was a 3% increase in the number of donors from whom ocular tissue was recovered in 2019 (n=4,607) relative to the previous year, and a 1% increase in ocular production for transplant, with 2019 seeing the release of 4,817 corneas for transplant.

Report (available upon request)

PDF copies of the following reports are available by request. Submit a request by sending an email to OTDT@blood.ca, please include the title and use the subject line: PDF Document Request.

  • Canadian Eye and Tissue Banking Statistics 2019 (English)
  • Statistiques sur les banques d’yeux et de tissus au Canada 2019 (français)