In Switzerland, those who do not explicitly opt out of their lifetime will now be considered to have consented to organ transplants following their deaths following a referendum on Sunday.
The government-backed measure was upheld by about 60 percent of voters, with only 40 percent of those eligible to vote. The new rules will not take effect immediately, as the government has not yet notified all citizens of the change, and a national database, to opt out, has not yet been created.
The new rules will only apply to those 16 years of age or older, and organs will only be taken from patients who have died in an intensive care unit and have been confirmed dead by two doctors, according to French state-funded AFP.
After 72 people died while waiting for a replacement in 2021, the government hopes to increase the number of organ donations. According to SwissTransplant, there are 1434 patients on the waiting list for donor organs in Switzerland, with a total of 484 receiving their transplants in 2021.
A group of activists led by retired doctor Alex Frey, who pushed for a referendum on public voting, questioned the principle of simply accepting a person’s consent in a medical procedure.
The result of the referendum “The positive attitude has confirmed that [authorities] The Swiss people have always felt the need to donate organs. “ The country’s interior minister, Alain Berset, made the announcement on Sunday.
However, Frey claims that the results were misleading by people who misinformed and thought about organ donation. “Cold body” According to Swissinfo, life support in the ICU is in the freezer instead of brain-dead patients.
Family members of the deceased will still have a statement under the new rules, although critics claim it will put additional pressure on relatives who may be forced not to object. On the contrary, advocates believe that forcing a grieving family to make a decision in favor of their loved one is much more stressful. The government argued that it was a good alternative to a rival proposal that did not include the obligation to consult with the family.
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