Defaults
Article
Making Organ donation the default option as a strategy to help save more lives
In Germany, people must actively sign up to donate their organs. Only 12% of citizens consent to donate. Austria has a 99% consent rate, where people are automatically enrolled unless they actively opt out of the program.
Although most adults express willingness to be organ donors, many don’t get around to giving official consent. Making organ donation the default option has significantly increased the consent rate compared to programs where opt-out policies are used. People tend to rely on the default option, so behavioral interventions should consider these defaults.
