Contexta and BAG encourage organ donation

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and Swisstransplant are launching a new campaign entitled "Rules instead of postponing: organ donation". The aim is to encourage the population to make their decision on organ donation now and to record it in writing.

By informing the relatives, they can be relieved and decide in the sense of the deceased, if this becomes necessary, writes the FOPH in a statement on Tuesday. Each person should therefore record their will in an organ donation card, in a living will or in the electronic patient dossier (EPD).

On May 15, 2022, the Swiss electorate voted in favor of the contradiction solution for organ donation. The exact date of the changeover is not yet known. Until that time comes, the extended consent solution will continue to apply, under which organs and tissues can only be removed after death if the person concerned has given their consent.

According to Swisstransplant, there were 1434 people on a waiting list for organ donation in Switzerland at the end of 2021. In the reporting year, there were 587 transplants. 72 people who were on the waiting list died.

Discrepancy between advocating and doing

Although the majority of the Swiss population is actually in favor of organ donation, only a small percentage actually record their will in writing. On the campaign website Life-is-sharing.ch find good reasons for organ donation, the necessary knowledge and the possibility to record one's will in writing.

The short documentary "What a teenager can teach us about life" is about a young person who jumped from the brink of death three times and is now able to live a full life thanks to a donated heart. The film thus shows the great impact that can be achieved when everyone overcomes their procrastination.

The campaign has been running since Tuesday and will extend over several waves until, presumably, the end of 2024, when the objection solution will be replaced by the consent solution.


Responsible at BAG: Adrian Kammer(Head of Campaigns), Cinzia Pastore Ferrari (Specialist Campaigns), Susanne Nyfeler (Section Manager Specialist Unit), Christa Käser (Project Manager Specialist Unit). Responsible agency: Contexta. Responsible at Chocolate Films (film production): Michela Trümpi (Executive Producer), Gabi Benz (Line Producer); Lukas Wälli (Director/Cinematographer); Robin Fessel&Team (Production Design); Bela Adami (Editing); Samuel Muff (SLGH; Color Grading);Pablo Nouvelle (Music); Gregor Rosenberger (dubdub, Sound); Mediaschneider Bern (Media).

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