France Implements Opt-Out Organ Donation Policy; No Need To Sign-In For Organ Donation Anymore

The first of its kind opt-out organ donation policy has been legalized by the French government, starting from Jan. 1, 2017. The policy abolished the need of registering for organ donation and acquiring family consent to surgically remove the organs of the donor after death.

The policy also considers the religious beliefs and personal preference of the people who do not wish to donate their organs. Therefore, the policy has an opt-out option, which allows any individual to register as non-organ donors.

The law was framed after careful consideration of the discrepancies in the current laws of organ donation. It was observed that many times the family member of registered organ donors vetoes out of the donation procedure.

The Guardian reported that people who do not want their organs to be used in medical procedures after their death can register their name in "Refusal Register." It can be easily done online, which simplifies the whole process and conserves the right to say no of common citizens.

According to the latest data, around 150,000 people have already registered their wish for opting out of organ donation. In addition, those who are strictly against the organ donation process can leave a non-consent letter with their relatives or next-of-kin, which should be presented to the doctors after the death of the person, The World Post reported.

The new opt-out organ donation policy will help in increasing the number of potential donors in the future, which is highly crucial considering the low rates of people voluntarily registering for organ donation in the entire Europe.

The NHSBT, which monitors the NHS organ donation register, is further implementing steps to raise awareness among common people regarding the need and benefits of organ donations to reduce the number of cases where organ donation is vetoed by the family members.

Thousands of people die in the unavailability of organs for transplant. In such conditions, the opt-out organ donation policy is a welcome gesture made by the government of France.