NOS News•
Relatives more often give permission for organ donation since the new donor law came into effect. This is evident from an analysis by Trouw with figures from the Dutch Transplantation Foundation.
The new donor law came into effect more than two years ago. For every adult who does not specify a choice, the donor register states that he has ‘no objection’ to donation. This applies to almost a quarter of the over-18s. In addition, more than a third have actively indicated that they wish to donate organs. As a result, the number of organ donations has risen since the law came into effect. Last month it was announced that a record number of organs will be transplanted in 2022.
According to Trouw’s analysis, the new donor law also influences whether or not the next of kin give consent. In the past two years, the family agreed to donation in about 60 percent of cases. In 2018 and 2019, that percentage was even lower: 45 percent.
Always in conversation
The increase in the past two years is due to the fact that the registration of people who have opted for donation themselves (or who have not objected) makes it easier for next of kin to agree, says an internist from Radboudumc who spoke to the newspaper. “There is more clarity. You have less burden on families at a difficult time, and we can more effectively fulfill the wishes of the deceased.”
Doctors always talk to next of kin, even if the deceased has given permission for organ donation. The immediate family can still block this in the event of serious objections, and that happens in 15 percent of those cases.
The Dutch Transplantation Foundation (NTS) does not yet want to draw any conclusions about the effect of the donor law. The law has only been in place for that recently, says the foundation, which wants to await an official evaluation.
