Guidelines Donation after euthanasia

For tissue donation, eye tissue, bone and tendon tissue, heart valves, certain large blood vessels, and skin are eligible.The procedure for tissue donation after euthanasiaproceeds in the same way as with any other death.

The euthanasia can simply take place at home. The tissue donation that may follow is only possible in a hospital (for donation of bone, cartilage, and tendon tissue) or a funeral home (for donation of skin, heart valves, blood vessels, or eye tissue). The NTS coordinates with the funeral home if extra transport is required for this. Once the donation procedure is completed, the deceased can be laid out at home or in a funeral home. There are no costs for the family associated with the donation or any additional transport.

1. Check the donor registration

Ask the patient if they are registered in the Donor Register. If the patient wants to donate tissue but is not registered with consent or is unsure of their registration, ask the patient to update their registration in the Donor Register (via DigiD).

2. Make an assessment of medical suitability

Legally, the NTS can only assess whether someone is actually suitable to donate tissues after death.

When to register?
A tissue donor can be registered with the NTS before euthanasia. Do this no more than one day before the euthanasia. After the potential donor has passed away, the physician must contact the NTS again via 071 - 579 57 95 to provide the date and time of death and a number of additional details.

The final acceptance of the tissue donor depends on possible contraindications. As a physician, make a preliminary assessment yourself and call the NTS in case of doubt.

Registration questionnaire

View the questions the NTS asks during registration. You can discuss this questionnaire with the patient. During the official donor notification, an NTS employee will go through this list with you. Questions? Please feel free to contact the NTS via 071 - 579 57 95.

Tissue donor registration questionnaire

3. Report the expected death to the public prosecutor

Tissue donation after an unnatural death may only take place with the permission of the public prosecutor. Report the date and time to the Public Prosecution Service before the expected death to ensure the donation procedure runs as smoothly as possible.

Call the NTS organ center at 071 - 579 57 95 (available 24 hours a day) to register the donor for tissue donation. The NTS employee will go through the tissue donor registration questionnaire.

The public prosecutor releases the body. The deceased must then be transported to the funeral home as soon as possible.

• Ensure that the body is refrigerated within 6 hours.
• Report the funeral director's details to the NTS. The NTS will make arrangements with the funeral director regarding the retrieval procedure.
• Should additional transport of the deceased be required to a hospital or mortuary where the tissue retrieval procedure will take place, the NTS will also make these arrangements.

It is also important that it is always clear who the deceased is at the hospital, mortuary, or funeral home. This can be done, for example, by placing a wristband with their name and date of birth on them.

The retrieval procedure starts as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after death. This depends on the number of retrieval procedures at that time. After a maximum of 30 hours, the next of kin can have the donor back.