[Organ donation in Switzerland]

Since 1985 Swisstransplant coordinates all allocations for organ transplantations in Switzerland. During these 20 years the number of deceased donors decreased, while the number of living donors increased. In the same period the number of patients on a waiting list for organ transplantation increased significantly, up to more than 1000 at the end of2004. During the year 2004 412 patients were transplanted, 43 (4%) died while waiting on the list. In comparison to other European countries the frequency of organ donation from deceased donors is relatively low in Switzerland, only 13 per million inhabitants. In order to treat the high number of patients needing organ transplantation, additional efforts have to be undertaken in future. The measures include the development of alternative therapies preventing or treating organ failure, the amelioration of legal conditions of organ transplantation with the new law, an increase of resources and knowledge to improve donor evaluation and donor pools in the donor hospitals, a further improvement of the allocation process, the enhancement of information and motivation of the population by the patient organisations, the medical staff, Swisstransplant and eventually public means.