"For me, organ donation is a matter of the heart - any of us could find ourselves in a situation where we urgently need a life-saving organ. Without organ donation, there can be no transplantation. That's why I appeal to everyone: find out more about organ donation, make a decision and discuss the issue with your loved ones," said the District Administrator.
The central event this year is in Regensburg. Under the overarching motto "Right. Important. Vital.", the event will take place with the themed islands "Time", "Thanks", "Encounter" and "Decision".
Dr. Rangwich-Fellendorf draws attention to the organ donation register. "Since March 2024, the register has offered a new digital way to document the decision voluntarily, free of charge and legally binding," she explains. One year after the launch of a central online register, only around 280,000 people have recorded declarations of their general willingness to donate organs.
"Three people die every day because they don't receive an organ in time - every organ donor is a lifesaver," says Dr. Traub. Each of the 953 people (132 of them in Baden-Württemberg) who donated organs in Germany last year gave an average of 3.7 seriously ill patients the chance of a longer and better life after their death. One donor can save up to seven people. Nevertheless, almost 8,300 people are currently waiting for a transplant, with almost 1,000 patients in Baden-Württemberg alone. Around 25 percent of transplanted kidneys and 6 percent of livers in Germany come from a living donation due to a lack of sufficient post-mortem donations. However, this is associated with a considerable risk for the donor.
Among contacts in Germany in 2024 relating to organ donations, only 15.4 percent had expressed their wishes in writing and 17.5 percent verbally; in over 63 percent of cases, relatives had to decide according to their presumed or their own wishes. All too often, organ donations fail due to a lack of consent. This applies in particular to cases in which relatives have to make a decision without knowing the wishes of their deceased loved one. Relatives are under enormous strain when they have to make a decision in an emergency situation. This makes it all the more sensible to think about what should happen to your own organs at an early stage. The Department of Health answers the most important questions.
Will everything be done for me if I have a life-threatening illness and have decided to donate my organs?
Yes, the aim of all medical measures in the event of a serious illness or accident is always to save a person's life. Emergency doctors, rescue teams and intensive care physicians who are committed to this have nothing to do with organ removal and transplantation.
If I decide to donate my organs, will I be declared dead sooner?
No, in Germany post-mortem organ removal is only possible after a diagnosis of irreversible loss of brain function of the entire brain. There are strict guidelines for determining "brain death". Two different neurologically experienced specialists who are not involved in the transplantation must make the diagnosis independently of each other. The circulation and breathing of the deceased person are artificially maintained by ventilation and medication, so the organs retain their functionality
The organ donation register has been in place since 2024. Are there any problems with data protection?
The register data is not publicly accessible and is protected from access by unauthorized third parties. Every person who submits, changes or revokes a declaration in the organ donation register must first authenticate themselves using secure procedures. Access to the declaration by authorized hospital staff is also only possible after prior registration and authentication.
Will my declaration on organ and tissue donation in my living will or in my organ donor card remain valid despite the register?
Yes, you can continue to record declarations on organ and tissue donation in an organ donor card or in a living will. Important: The most recent declaration on organ and tissue donation always applies. If you have already documented a declaration in an organ donor card or in a living will, make sure that these declarations do not contradict each other.
Am I not too old or too ill to be an organ donor?
There is no age limit for organ donation. The oldest organ donor in Germany to date was 98 years old and her liver was successfully transplanted. Only a few pre-existing conditions rule out organ donation in principle. These are acute malignant tumors or untreatable infections. For all other illnesses, doctors decide whether organs are suitable for removal based on the available findings. There are more and more older donors - in 2024, 36% of donors were over 65 and a further 21% were aged between 56 and 64.
Is my decision legally binding or can relatives make a different decision?
The will of the deceased person always takes precedence. If, for example, consent is documented in an organ donor card, organ removal is legally permissible. The next of kin are therefore not asked to make a decision, but they must be informed. Only if the will of the deceased is neither available in writing nor mentioned or communicated in a conversation are the next of kin asked to decide initially according to the presumed will or - as a last resort - according to their own values. In most cases, however, consent is not given. One possible reason: relatives are unsure and don't want to do anything wrong. This situation can be very stressful. It is therefore advisable to make a self-determined decision during your lifetime and to talk about it with the people who are most important to you.
