Organ donation
Organ donations save lives. Up to seven people can be helped with one organ donation.
Transplant, organs, organ donor
Six organs are currently donated and transplanted in six transplant centers in Switzerland: Kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, pancreas and, rarely, the small bowel.
Anyone who dies in the intensive care unit in hospital may become a donor. There is no age limit.
Transplantation Act
In Switzerland, the Transplantation Act regulates tightly who receives the donated organs. A waiting list is kept. Organs are allocated according to medical urgency, medical benefit and waiting time.
From the expanded consent provision to the expanded opposition provision
What should be done? In Switzerland, the extended consent solution currently applies. Your individual arrangements (living will, organ donation card) are not yet to be adapted at the time being. Inform your next of kin whether you are for or against organ donation in any case, in order to take the pressure off them.
Following the “Yes” vote on the amendment to the Transplantation Act, the extended objection regulation will probably apply in Switzerland from 2026 at the earliest. If you refuse a transplant or organ donation, record this in writing and lodge it with your identification documents. You will otherwise be considered a possible donor. If your will is unclear, relatives have to decide. If they are not available, no organs (such as liver, lung, heart, kidney or tissue) may be removed.
How to record?
How can you express and record your wishes regarding the organ donation? Decide whether you wish to authorize, authorize in part or refuse the removal of organ, tissues or cells after death? You may leave this decision to a trusted person.
- The donor card,
- The living will,
- The electronic health record (EHR)
In future, probably in 2026, anyone who does not wish to donate organs will have to enter this in a central register.
Anyone aged 16 or over may complete a donor card. For younger people, the legal representative decides on organ donation.
Are you planning a vacation abroad? What does apply there?
Before travelling abroad (e.g. Austria, France, Spain) you must take precautions, as different laws, i.e. those of the country of residence, apply there. Depending on the country, the extended consent solution, the objection rule, the objection with the power of veto for relatives, the information or even the emergency regulation apply. What exactly does that mean?
Extended consent regulation
The deceased consented to organ removal during his or her lifetime Without his or her consent, however, the surviving relatives or family members must decide. However, you cannot rely on relatives outside Switzerland being contacted and their refusal to donate organs being accepted.
Information regulation
In certain countries, your relatives are informed before the organ removal. However, they cannot do anything.
Emergency regulation
If the emergency regulation applies, organ removal is always permitted, even if there is an objection.
Objection regulation
In the event of death, organs are removed in certain countries unless you have expressly objected. Relatives have no right of objection.
Check whether there is an objection register.
Objection register in Austria
Austria, for example, provides for an “objection register” in which you can register as a foreign tourist to prevent your organ donation in the event of a fatal accident.
Objection regulation with the power of veto for relatives
In certain countries, the deceased’s surviving relatives can refuse organ removal.
Note
Note down how you feel about tissue and organ removal or, more specifically, about the transplantation of your organs. Make your own, self-determined decision. Different laws may apply abroad.
Find out and act, especially before you travel to Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Malta, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, the Czech Republic or Hungary.
Provide for your will to be known and accepted!