French citizens automatically organ donors unless they opt out
Posted Jan 4, 2017 10:20:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Every French citizen is now an organ donor unless they decide to opt out, due to a significant change in the law.
The new rules, which came into effect on January 1, aligns the policy in France with the policies of a number of European countries such as Spain and Austria.
Presumed consent means a person is automatically a donor of organs and tissues when they die, unless they specifically choose not to.
French citizens now have to sign up to a new national rejection register if they do not want to become organ donors, which medical teams will check at the time of death.
A total of 150,000 people have already signed up to the register, according to the Guardian.
