A new approach to organ donation is on its way in Denmark, which includes a comprehensive action plan. Soon, Danes will receive reminders to consider organ donation when using their health card and driver’s license apps. This is one of several initiatives in a new action plan adopted by the government together with the Socialist People’s Party (SF), The Conservative People’s Party (De Konservative), The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), The Radical Left (De Radikale), and The Alternative (Alternativet). The Ministry of Interior and Health unveiled the plan, describing it as the first in the field in ten years.
Minister Sophie Løhde (Venstre) stated: “With the action plan, hopefully we can get more people to consider organ donation and increase the number of donors. This way, we can give hope and life back to many of the people waiting to receive a new life-saving organ.”
The action plan includes several initiatives, although the press release does not provide many specific details. Among other things, efforts will be made to strengthen the donor potential in hospitals by increasing focus on organ donation, and kidney patients will be provided with the “right support and assistance” to find living donors in their network. The consideration of whether more hospitals should extract organs based on cardiac death criteria will also be made. Currently, only three hospitals do so.
The funding for the action plan includes 33 million Danish kroner from 2024 to 2029, and an additional 25 million kroner in 2024 alone. From 2030 onwards, three million kroner will be allocated annually. This action plan follows the decision to introduce a new consent model for organ donation. Later this year, the government will present a bill that means citizens over 18 years old will be organ donors by default, but they must actively confirm this. Citizens will receive a letter asking them to make a decision.
Today, citizens are required to actively opt in for organ donation to become donors.