Who will be affected by the new Swiss organ donation law?

In principle, laws on organ and tissue removal are not based on nationality, but instead operate according to the territorial principle. In concrete terms, this means that a person’s location at the time of death determines which laws apply. The May vote will not change this. Regardless of nationality, the opt-out system will therefore apply to anyone who dies in Switzerland – whether they are tourists, Swiss Abroad visiting Switzerland, or people whose permanent residence is in Switzerland.

When Swiss citizens die abroad, the laws of their place of death are applied accordingly. The change to Swiss law is part of a wider trend, as more and more European countries are adopting opt-out solutions. However, there are still exceptions, such as Germany, so it makes sense for Swiss Abroad to research the rules in their country of residence and consider recording their wishes in the relevant registry or document. If you want to be prepared for any eventuality in Switzerland, you can also download and fill out an organ donation card on the Swisstransplant website. This will remain valid even after the amendment to the law comes into force.