Germany mulls new rules to boost organ donations
Posted Apr 1, 2019 06:02:18 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BERLIN — Germany’s health minister is launching a drive to tackle a shortage of donor organs with a reform that would make most people potential organ donors unless they object.
At present, doctors in Germany can transplant organs only from people who actively register and carry a donor card. Under the new system proposed Monday by Health Minister Jens Spahn and cross-party supporters, people would automatically be considered as donors unless they opt out by putting themselves on a register saying they object — which they could do at any time.
Relatives could also tell officials that the deceased made clear they didn’t want to donate.
Spahn said 20 other European Union countries have similar systems and “everything we have tried so far hasn’t led to a rise in donor figures.”
The Associated Press
