Nearly one-quarter of Dutch prepared to donate their organs

According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), nearly one-quarter in the Dutch population aged 12 years and older have given explicit permission for their organs or tissues to be transplanted after death. In 2015 it concerned approximately 2 million women and nearly 1.6 million men, a marginal increase relative to 2014. Organ donation appears to increase with age, but generally declines again after the age of 65.
The Dutch Transplant Foundation claims that about one thousand people are currently on the waiting list for organ transplant. Most patients are waiting for a kidney transplant.

Four in ten registered as donors

Last year, 40 percent in the population aged 12 years and older were included in the organ donor register. Just under one-quarter (24 percent) have given permission for their organs or tissues to be transplanted after death. Sometimes donors choose to exclude certain organs from their donation decision. A small number leave that decision to surviving relatives and 11 percent explicitly deny permission (+53 thousand).

Women more inclined to organ donation

The share of women in the donor register is 43 percent, i.e. 3.2 million women in absolute figures. Nearly 2 million among them have given permission for organ donation. The figures for men with respect to organ donation are different. Last year, 2.6 million men (36 percent) were registered, of whom  1.6 million had granted permission for organ donation.

Majority of organ donors in age category 45-64

As people grow older, their willingness to donate their organs increases, but starts to decrease again after the age of 65. In the 12-24 age category, 17 percent are registered and 12 percent have given permission for organ donation. The figures for the 45-64 age group are 48 and 30 percent respectively. Nearly 40 percent of over-85s are registered, but in fact only a small share are willing to donate their organs.