Gesundheit: Abgeordnetengruppe gegen große Umstellung bei Organspenden
Wie können mehr lebensrettende Spenderorgane wie Nieren und Lebern organisiert werden? Im Parlament liegen jetzt zwei gegensätzliche Initiativen dazu vor - es geht auch um schwierige ethische Aspekte.
A group of German lawmakers is pushing back against a proposed change in organ donation rules, arguing that it would violate the principle of self-determination. The Bundestag is set to discuss a proposal from a cross-party group of over 200 lawmakers that aims to implement a opt-out system, where adults are automatically considered organ donors upon death unless they have previously explicitly objected.
Currently, explicit consent is required for organ transplants. The new proposal suggests that silence should not be considered consent, as self-determination includes the right to not decide without fearing personal repercussions. The group also emphasizes the risks to trust in the healthcare system associated with organ removal without explicit consent.
The main reason for the low number of organ donations is the "significant deficit" in implementing measures to reach potential donors and facilitate the documentation of donation intent. The proposal suggests that all citizens should be asked about their willingness to donate their organs upon reaching adulthood, with the option to indicate agreement, disagreement, or undecidedness.
In addition, a plan should be developed with the states on how to build similar registration possibilities in existing online registers for donation intent. The Bundestag had already held a general debate on new ways to increase organ donations in late June, following a failed attempt in 2020 to introduce a opt-out system. A preliminary step towards a opt-out system was taken in 2020, but the Bundestag instead approved a law that confirmed the consent principle but aimed for more information and easier documentation.
This includes a central online register, which was only launched late in 2024. Over 8,000 people are urgently needed for organ transplants like kidneys, livers, or hearts for seriously ill patients. Last year, 985 people donated organs after their death, the highest number since 2012. However, as of the end of 2025, there were still 8,200 people on the waiting list.
Generally, people generally support organ donation, but many do not maintain their intention to do so.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
