Recording of refusal for organ donation in health booklets to be abolished

The Council of Ministers has approved a Bill to amend and supplement the Law on Transplantation of Organs, Tissues, and Cells. It removes the requirement to record an explicit refusal for post-mortem donation in the health insurance booklet, according to the government press service.

The amendments eliminate the obligation for citizens to state in writing in their health booklets during their lifetime a refusal to have organs, tissues, and cells harvested after death. Instead, every Bulgarian citizen will be able to express their will directly to the Executive Agency for Medical Supervision. This can also be done electronically by submitting a declaration of refusal for donation.

The reason for the change is related to the modernization of the regulatory framework and the transition to digital healthcare. In parallel, the obligation of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to issue a health insurance booklet to every compulsorily insured person is also expected to be revoked.

The proposal is part of the healthcare digitalization process implemented through the National Health Information System (NHIS). Through this system, information regarding the health status of citizens will be collected, processed, and stored, maintaining an electronic health record for each individual, as well as public and official electronic registers and databases.

The new rules aim to facilitate citizens, reduce administrative procedures, and introduce a more modern, electronic model for expressing consent or refusal for donation.