Patient advocates have criticized the German federal government’s decision to limit the expansion of options for enrolling in the national organ donation register. “A state that wants to promote willingness to donate organs loses credibility if it fails to widen registration possibilities” said Eugen Brysch, chairman of the Stiftung Patientenschutz, in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (Wednesday edition).
Brysch reminded that six years ago the Bundestag decided that citizens would be able to register in the central register at administrative offices. However, the federal states refused to implement this legal requirement. “Across Germany there are hardly any municipalities that provide accessible, data‑protected terminals for everyone” he said. Consequently, it is not surprising that only a few people have registered so far. “Instead of holding the states accountable for obeying the law, the obligation for municipalities to provide barrier‑free facilities is now being eliminated” Brysch criticized.
In 2020, the Bundestag rejected a proposal from several members to introduce a revocation (opt‑out) mechanism for organ donation, but simultaneously approved the creation of a central organ donation register. Later, the health ministers of the states urged the federal government to rescind the permission for registration at administrative offices. The government is now acting on that request.
The amendment is included in the revised Transplantation Act, which introduces, for the first time, the so‑called cross‑donation (Überkreuzspende) scheme. An expert hearing on the amendment is scheduled for Wednesday in the Bundestag. Since the register’s launch in March 2024, about half a million individuals have signed up in the organ donation database.
