New Law on Transplants: All Greeks are potential organ donors!

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Politics, Society

I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry. I just read of a Draft Bill ‘ordering’ all Greeks to donate their organs – after death, I suppose… No, it’s not an April Fools joke and it has nothing to do with the IMF/EU austerity measures, at least I dare to assume… Nevertheless, according to the new Bill,  all deceased Greeks are potential donors of organs for transplantation and adult dead can avoid the procedure if they oppose it in a written form while still alive. To make the time consuming procedure short, they can add a check box  together with our income declaration…

“All Greeks are now potential donors of organs for transplantation  in accordance with the provisions of the new draft law on transplants. The same bill also regulates all conditions for transplantation of organs from living persons as well as stem cell banks.

Specifically, the draft law states that the removal of one or more organs from deceased adult person, shall takes place unless the person has opposed (presumed consent) with a  statement of the National Transplant Organization.

As stated in the draft, every adult citizen may declare its opposition to the removal of organs after death, in statement that will be kept in the archives of the NTO.  The relevant statement should be asserted the authenticity of the person’s signature.” (source: in.gr via ANA)

To tell you the truth these provisions remind me of the revolution leader in Woddy Allen’s all time classic Bananas. I think the next law will provide all Greeks to wear our underwear over our cloths…