Organ donation in Poland: presumed consent and how to object
Short answer: In Poland organs can be taken after death unless the person objected in life, by entry in the Poltransplant register, a signed statement or an oral statement before two witnesses.
Poland follows the principle of presumed consent for organ donation. That means organs, tissues and cells can be taken after death for transplant unless the person objected while alive. This guide sets out what the official Polish sources say about how an objection is made, who can make one for a child, and what the rules do not cover. The pages used here come from the national transplant coordination centre Poltransplant and the patient portal pacjent.gov.pl, whose page carries an update date of 4 June 2024. The Poltransplant page is undated, so details are given as of 17 October 2026 and should be confirmed with Poltransplant.
The basic rule
Under the law of 1 July 2005 on the collection, storage and transplantation of cells, tissues and organs, article 5 says that cells, tissues or organs can be taken from a deceased person for transplant if the person did not express an objection during life. The patient portal describes this as the rule of presumed consent. It also notes that one donor can give several organs, and lists the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and small intestine.
The portal adds that, although nobody has to declare consent, many people choose to register with donor databases run by non-governmental organisations, or carry a donor card or bracelet. Poltransplant stresses that whatever your decision is, it is very important to tell your family what you want.
The sources do not say whether the rule applies to foreign residents differently from Polish citizens. They describe the rule as applying to a deceased person, and they do not set out any distinction by nationality. If this matters to you, ask Poltransplant directly.
Three ways to object
Article 6 of the law lists the forms an objection can take:
* an entry in the central register of objections * a written statement with your own handwritten signature * an oral statement made in front of at least two witnesses, which they confirm in writing
The Poltransplant page adds that a signed statement carried on you has legal force, as does an oral statement made in the presence of two witnesses who confirm it in writing. An objection can be withdrawn at any time, in any of the same forms.
The central register of objections
The central register is run by Poltransplant in Warsaw. You can submit an objection in person or by post, using a form that is available from healthcare facilities or on the Poltransplant website. The form should be filled in clearly, signed, and sent to the address given by Poltransplant: Centralny Rejestr Sprzeciwów, Centrum Organizacyjno-Koordynacyjne ds. Transplantacji Poltransplant, Al. Jerozolimskie 87, 02-001 Warszawa. The page stresses that the form must be signed.
After the entry is made you receive a confirmation by registered letter. The objection takes effect from the date of entry in the register, which is shown on the confirmation. If the form is filled in wrongly, the objection is not registered and you are told by letter.
The law says the register holds your first and last name, date and place of birth, PESEL number if you have one, address, the date and place where the objection or its withdrawal was made, and the date it arrived. The data is kept for 5 years from the death of the person, and then destroyed so that the person cannot be identified. A doctor who intends to take organs, or a person authorised by the doctor, can ask whether an objection is registered.
Children and people without full legal capacity
For a minor, or another person who does not have full legal capacity, the legal representative can object during that person's life. A minor over 16 can also object personally. The law says an objection from one legal representative is effective against the others.
What families can say
The patient portal says that if family members tell medical staff that, in their presence, the person had objected to donation during life, organs cannot be taken. This is why the sources keep returning to one point: talk to the people close to you.
What the sources do not cover
The pages do not describe how the rules apply to foreigners, how objections made in another country are treated, or whether the register accepts forms in English. The Poltransplant form is in Polish. If you do not read Polish, ask someone you trust to help you complete it, because an incorrectly filled form is not registered.
A short checklist
* Decide what you want, and tell your family. * If you object, choose one of the three forms in article 6. * For the central register, use the Poltransplant form, sign it and send it to the Warsaw address. * Keep the registered-letter confirmation, because it shows the date the objection took effect. * Remember that you can withdraw an objection at any time.
* Photos: cover, corridor of a hospital (CC0, Wikimedia Commons); body, ambulance in Katowice (CC0, Wikimedia Commons). Illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register as an organ donor in Poland?
No. The patient portal says nobody has to declare consent. The rule is presumed consent unless you objected during life.
How do I object?
Through the central register run by Poltransplant, by a signed written statement, or by an oral statement before two witnesses who confirm it in writing.
When does a register objection take effect?
From the date of entry in the register, which is shown on the confirmation you receive by registered letter.
Can a parent object for a child?
Yes. The law lets a legal representative object for a minor, and a minor over 16 can object personally.
