Switzerland votes for organ donation by default | Switzerland

Switzerland voted to increase the availability of organ transplants by making every person a potential donor after their death, unless they expressly object.

60% of voters voted in favor of the legal amendment. Transplants are not possible under the current laws unless the deceased consented to them while they were still alive.

They may not want organ donation. In such cases, the decision is often left to their relatives.

More than 1,400 people waited in Switzerland for transplant organs at the end 2021. This country has an estimated 8.6 million inhabitants.

Last year, 166 people died and donated their organs to Switzerland. A total of 484 organs were transplanted.

According to Swisstransplant, 72 people died while waiting for an organ transplant.

“The public have shown that they are ready to give a chance to the people who are on the waiting list,” said Swisstransplant’s director, Franz Immer.

In a bid to reduce the backlog, the government and parliament wanted to change the law to a “presumed consent” model, something already adopted in a number of other European countries.

That system states that organ donors must be explicitly opted out of by people who are not interested in becoming organ donors.

If they haven’t made their wishes known, they will be considered to be in favor. If relatives suspect or know that the individual concerned would not choose to donate an organ, they can still refuse. Organs cannot be taken if relatives are not able to contact the deceased.

These rules will only be applicable to those over 16 years of age.

The medical conditions required for organ donation remain the same. Only patients who are in an ICU hospital can donate their organs. Two doctors must verify the death.