The Federal Office of Public Health said the aim of the three-year operation was to raise awareness of the importance of donations. The government has set aside CHF3.5 million ($3.5 million).
Last year a record number of organ donors was registered, with 18.6 per one million residents. The authorities hope to increase the number to 22 by 2021.
About 80% of the population is apparently in favour of organ donations, but only very few of them let their families know about it, according to a statement published by the health office on Monday.
Campaigners warn that families might face difficult situations if they are not sure whether a deceased person gave consent to an organ donation.
Last October the Swisstransplant foundation opened an organ donor register, 12 months after a people’s initiative was launched aimed at promoting organ donations. If successful in a nationwide vote, organ donations would be based on presumed consent, reversing the current opt-in policy, which requires explicit consent by potential donors.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
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Emergency crews contained the oil and began removing some of the pollution from the water’s surface, said the St Gallen cantonal police on Sunday.
Switzerland lifts sanctions on Syria after Assad’s fall
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Switzerland is lifting economic sanctions on Syria, but targeted measures against figures linked to the former regime remain in place.
Thousands march in Bern calling for Gaza ceasefire
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More than 10,000 people – or up to 20,000, according to organisers – marched through central Bern on Saturday afternoon in support for Gaza.
Zurich Pride draws large crowds amid financial strain
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Following US President Donald Trump’s attacks on diversity initiatives, Zurich Pride fears more sponsors could pull out and is now facing financial difficulties.
Switzerland ‘deeply alarmed’ by Middle East escalation
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Switzerland has voiced serious concern over rising tensions in the Middle East, and the UN chief says he is ‘alarmed’ by US strikes on Iran.
Switzerland among world’s most expensive for household electricity
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According to a study by the comparison site Verivox, based on data from Global Petrol Prices, Switzerland came in tenth out of 143 countries.
Global uncertainty boosts Swiss-EU talks, says Cassis
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Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis says Switzerland’s talks with the European Union (EU) have been boosted by the current difficult global situation.
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Shaw specialises in the ethics of organ donation and transplantation in the Institute for Biomedical Ethics at the University of Basel. He is also a member of Britain’s Donation Ethics Committee, which advises the Department of Health on organ policy. Donor cards alone aren’t enough, Shaw believes. Among other things, he questions why Switzerland doesn’t have…
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The Federal Health OfficeExternal link said 145 people had agreed to provide one or several organs upon their death. In addition, 137 live donors had given a kidney or part of their liver. In total, 440 patients were able to benefit in 2017, according to a statement published on Monday. Officials say the increase is…
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