Never the number of bodies transplanted in a quarter has been as high in Switzerland as in the beginning of 2025: there are 169 between January and March, 37% more than in the previous quarter. On the other hand, only 38% of the interviews with those close to the deceased gave rise to consent to organ donation in 2024. A decline of 4 percentage points compared to 2023.
“In more than half of the cases, relatives do not know what the deceased wanted and are unable to say yes knowing that the subject was not discussed earlier. In these situations, the refusal rate is today above 80%, ”says Franz Immer, director of the Swisstransplant Foundation. The latter recalls that the decision must be taken quickly for these families already upset by the loss of a loved one.
In addition, “what we hear, some people want to be buried or cremated with their entire body, while others do not want their organs to benefit those who would have abused in their lives”, adds Franz Immer. But the latter is convinced that the introduction of the principle of alleged consent, approved at 60% by the Swiss people in 2022, “will relieve relatives and lead to an increase in the rate of consent”.
What will change in the future?
With the principle of alleged consent, doctors will be able to take bodies after the death of a person, unless they opposed it during their lifetime. His relatives will be able to refuse a sample if they know or assume that it is the choice of the deceased. And if no one is reachable or in case of doubt, no body will be taken.
“Since the vote, the refusal rate has dropped by 15%. We start from the principle that there will be an increase of 50% of donors two or three years after the entry into force of the principle of alleged consent, “reports the director of Swisstransplant. He adds that almost 50% of all donors come from university and cantonal hospitals of Lausanne, Geneva, Sion and Lugano.
The future electronic register in which we can indicate whether or not we want to donate your organs and tissues after his death is still long overdue. The HIC: its access will go through the electronic identity (E-ID), strongly criticized. “It is feared that the entry into force of the register will not yet be pushed. For patients on the waiting list, this is a complicated situation, ”says Franz Immer. The Confederation is still counting on the current 2026. The principle of alleged consent should come into force six months later.
