Regional Councillor Eric Pasqualon Pushes Major Campaign To Reverse Organ Donation Decline
WORLD NEWS – ITALY: A motion filed by Veneto regional councillor Eric Pasqualon seeks to arrest a worrying rise in refusals for organ donation and shore up one of Italy’s most respected transplant systems. Veneto’s network has long been recognized for high-quality transplantation work, but recent local data show the number of people declining organ donation climbing, with Padova registering a record 32% refusal rate compared with a historical average near 25%.
The motion frames the trend as an urgent threat to the region’s ability to secure organs for transplant and sustain lifesaving transplantation programs. Officials point to the looming August 3, 2026 deadline for paper identity card renewals as a potential flashpoint: mass renewals could produce a further spike in denials at the point citizens are asked about donation preferences. That prospect, the motion argues, could directly reduce the pool of available organs and complicate procurement efforts that hospitals depend on for time-sensitive transplant operations.
To counter the trend, Pasqualon proposes a coordinated public-awareness campaign aimed especially at 18- to 30-year-olds to dismantle myths, incentivize donation, and normalize consent. The plan calls for operational strategies to bolster Veneto’s healthcare excellence, concrete support for municipal registry offices — including targeted training for anagrafe staff — and the distribution of clear informational materials so citizens can make informed, responsible choices when renewing documents or registering preferences. The proposal emphasizes practical steps intended to protect transplantation outcomes by improving consent rates and smoothing administrative processes.
The motion frames the initiative as both preventative and pragmatic: safeguarding organ procurement pipelines, protecting patients awaiting transplant, and maintaining the region’s international standing in transplantation medicine. Local leaders are being asked to adopt the measures swiftly to avert an administrative surge of refusals and to preserve the lifesaving work of Veneto’s transplant teams.
Video originally published on 2026-02-06 13:41:46
