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Swiss approve opt-out for organ donation

Christiane OelrichDeutsche Presse Agentur
Nearly two thirds of Swiss voters think consent to organ donation should be automatic.
Camera IconNearly two thirds of Swiss voters think consent to organ donation should be automatic. Credit: AP

A majority of voters in Switzerland has supported switching to an opt-out system for organ donations in a national referendum.

Final results on Sunday showed that 60.2 per cent of voters were in favour of changing legislation to assume consent, which would allow patients in need of an organ to receive one far faster than is currently the case.

The referendum paves the way for people to automatically be considered organ donors unless they explicitly state this is against their wishes.

Currently, citizens must decide to become donors but the government is campaigning for change to enable patients who are seriously ill to receive donations without lengthy waiting periods.

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Swiss people also voted on other issues in a series of referenda held on Sunday, including whether to increase funding for the EU border protection agency Frontex, with 71.48 per cent of voters in favour.

Switzerland is part of the Schengen area, where border controls have largely been abolished, but the government has warned that without higher contributions, Swiss membership could be at risk.

Voters also showed their support for an amendment to the Film Act requiring television broadcasters and streaming services from abroad to invest four per cent of their revenues in Swiss film production.

Furthermore, streaming services would have to offer 30 per cent European films or series, as in the EU. Final results showed that 58.42 per cent of voters supported the proposal.

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