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Should assisted suicides be organ donors?

Wednesday, 22 October 2025 06:30

In Switzerland, organ donation is currently not practiced after assisted suicide - unlike in countries such as Spain, Belgium, or the Netherlands.

But, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences has opened an ethical debate on the issue, noting that no law explicitly forbids it. 

It’s thought around 170 people per year, roughly 10% of those seeking assisted suicide, could be eligible to donate, which could double the country’s organ supply. 

There are fears though that linking the two practices could risk influencing a person’s decision to end their life.

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