Organ donation in Belgium

Since 13 June 1986, Belgium has had a law concerning the procurement and transplantation of organs. This law is based on implicit or presumed consent, called “Opting Out” or “Silence is tantamount to consent”. This law applies to the procurement of organs or tissue from a person’s body, referred to as a donor, with a view to the transplant of these organs or tissue for therapeutic purposes into the body of another person referred to as a recipient. Since then, the legislator has also adopted a law governing, more specifically, the procurement of tissue and cells, as well as the use of human body material for scientific research.

This law of 2008, which came into force in 2009, provides for specific rules concerning consent for the procurement of tissue and cells from the living, but refers to standards concerning consent in the law of 1986 concerning procurement from the deceased. The donors targeted by this legislation may be alive or dead.

You can register 4 decisions regarding the ‘donation of human body material after death’ (such as organ donation) at the municipality. You must be living in Belgium for 6 months and be able to express your will.
Citizens can register 4 decisions at the municipality:

– organ donation for transplantation
– donation of human body material for transplantation
– donation of human body material for the making of medicines
– donation of human body material for research

Citizens can also register their will:

– at their doctor
– online via My Health:  Ma santé (in French) +  Mijn gezondheid (in Dutch)

This statement is no longer registered in the National Register, but in an application of the FPS Public Health