Switzerland has passed a law to presume consent for organ donations unless an individual has actively chosen to opt out.
The change from explicit consent to presumed was approved by 60.2 per cent of the voters, while 39.8 per cent voted against it in a referendum.
While the French-speaking southern and western parts of the country voted overwhelmingly in favour of presumed consent, four smaller German-speaking cantons voted against it, reported Swissinfo.
Interior minister Alain Berset said the result “confirmed the positive attitude that [authorities] had always felt among the Swiss population when it comes to organ donation”.
Mr Berset added that the changes were “not a revolution, but an evolution”.
He said that family members will still be consulted on difficult decisions. In the absence of family members, no organs would be taken for donation.
Mr Berset added that the true will of the deceased will be carefully determined.
The new model will come into effect in 2024 at the earliest, according to the Federal Office of Public Health.
Franz Immer, director of the foundation Swisstransplant, said the change in policy would save many lives and help the 1,400 people on organ waiting lists.
As many as 72 people died while waiting for a transplant last year, he said.
Opposition leaders in the Swiss parliament alleged that the change alters the relationship between the state and citizens.
“It’s disgraceful that in a state based on the rule law, you have to actively resist the fact that when you die, your organs can be extracted,” said Verena Herzog of the right-wing People’s Party, the only major political group to oppose the law on Sunday.
In the presumed consent model, any medically fit individual is considered to be an organ donor, unless they expressly register their dissent against it.
Under previous laws, donation was only permitted if the individual had consented to it while alive. Often, such wishes were not known to family members, who would then end up taking the decision.
Presumed consent systems are in place in several European countries, including England, Wales, Spain, Belgium, France and Austria.
On the other hand, Canadian provinces and the United States employ opt-in models for organ donation, where individuals explicitly state if they want to become donors for transplant purposes.
