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Twitter Shocked: Dutch Senate Passes Law Making People's Organs 'Gov't Property'

© Sputnik / Grigoriy Sisoev / Go to the mediabankKidney transplant surgery. File photo
Kidney transplant surgery. File photo - Sputnik International
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The Netherlands has passed a controversial new law making every citizen a potential organ donor unless they specifically chose to opt out.

The upper house of the Dutch parliament approved the new donor law on Tuesday by just a slim majority, while the lower house of parliament passed the bill 18 months ago.

Under the new legislation, every person over 18 will be included in the organ donor register unless they specifically say they don't want to be.

Every Dutch adult who is not yet registered as a donor will receive a letter asking whether or not they want to become donors after death. If they don't respond to the first letter, a second one will be sent and if it goes unanswered they will automatically be added to the donor list.

READ MORE: 'Basic, But Very Successful': Nanochips Could Heal Injuries or Regrow Organs

The law will allow Dutch citizens to amend their status at any time, but despite that, it has caused a lot of controversy and many took to social media to criticize it.

It wasn't all criticism though, some welcomed the new bill.

The government hopes that the new legislation will help deal with donor organ shortages in the country.

Netherlands also isn't the only European country to adopt such a law, similar donation laws already exist in Spain, Belgium and France.

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