[What does the practicing doctor need to know about the transplantation law and its effects?]

The present article will give a related overview of the current background of the field of donor recruitment and transplantation medicine. The transplantation Law that came into effect on the 01.07.2007 has caused numerous changes in the identification and reporting of potential organ- and tissue donors in hospitals with accredited Intensive care units. The law has had a great influence on the allocation practice of the rare organs in Switzerland. With just 12.6 cadaveric donors per million inhabitants, Switzerland is, compared to other European countries at the bottom of the table. This is not without influence on the waiting list, which at the end of 2010 was at a new all time high with 1029 patients. We assume that almost half of the Swiss population has not yet decided if they want to donate their organs or not. The most important contact people in this subject are the practicing colleagues, by this we mean you. On a specially publicized Link [www.swisstransplant.org/medizinerinfo] you will find more information and documents that you can either put out in your practice or download them for further education. Organ donation is possible until a high age, bring this subject up with your patients, and inform them transparently and openly about this. Ask your patients to inform their loved ones of their decision for or against organ donation.