BRAZIL: Push To Extend 7423/2001 Organ Donor Aid To Families Of Transplant Recipients Seeks Fast Passage

Mato Grosso Officials Propose Funeral Aid For Families Of Organ Transplant Recipients

WORLD NEWS – BRAZIL: Families in Mato Grosso who authorize procurement of a relative’s organs for transplantation have long received state support to cover funeral costs, and now officials are pushing to widen that safety net to include families of organ recipients. The benefit has been enshrined in state law for more than two decades: Law 7.423 of 2001 created a funeral aid program tied to organ donation that has been administered by the state government and the transplant system.

Leaders from the state transplant center recently approached lawmakers to press for a change in the legislation. Their proposal would extend the existing funeral assistance — currently available when families consent to procuring organs from a loved one — so that it also applies if a transplant recipient later passes away following transplantation. The move reframes the benefit from a one-sided reward for donation to a broader form of social protection surrounding transplantation outcomes.

The group sought backing from Deputy Dr. João, a physician-legislator whose medical background includes participation in Mato Grosso’s first kidney transplant during the 1990s. As a nephrologist and an early practitioner in the state’s renal transplant program, he expressed confidence the measure can find traction in both the legislative assembly and the governor’s office, calling it an important initiative for the state’s public health policy.

Advocates say the change would recognize the continuing emotional and financial burdens that can accompany the transplant journey for both donor families and recipients’ families. The transplant center’s outreach to the deputy signals the beginning of a formal push to amend Law 7.423 of 2001, with proponents aiming to translate longstanding practice into a more inclusive and durable policy across Mato Grosso.

Video originally published on 2026-03-04 08:00:24