Rio de Janeiro Notary Offices and Judiciary launch the Electronic Authorization for Organ Donation (AEDO)

As of this Tuesday (02/04), the more than two thousand people currently waiting in line for an organ transplant in Rio de Janeiro have an important ally in the battle for life. From now on, anyone who wishes to be an organ donor will be able to express and formalize their wishes through an official document, made digitally at any of the 288 Notary Offices in the state: the Electronic Authorization for Organ Donation (AEDO).

The launch of AEDO will mark the beginning of the campaign “One Heart: be life in someone’s life”, which will be officially launched this Tuesday (02.04) by the president of the National Council of Justice (CNJ), minister Luís Roberto Barroso, and by the National Inspector of Justice, Minister Luis Felipe Salomão.

Developed by the Colégio Notarial do Brasil – Conselho Federal (CNB/CF), an entity that brings together Notary Offices across the country, and regulated by Provision No. 164/2024 of the National Council of Justice (CNJ), electronic authorization will be available free of charge on the AEDO website and, through the National Organ Donor Center, it will be available for consultation via the deceased’s CPF by those responsible for the National Transplant System, of the Ministry of Health.

“The issue of organ donation in our country is still little addressed, and the AEDO platform – Electronic Authorization for Organ Donation – comes precisely to democratize the subject, make it easier for those who want to make this wish expressed in an official way and also bring the debate for family conversation circles. It is a great advance that the Brazilian notary, together with the CNJ, are promoting, an advance that will be perpetuated among an entire society that is more aware and informed about this, which is such an important decision”, says the president of the CNB/RJ, José Renato Vilarnovo.

Under current legislation, the person who authorizes donation in the case of brain death is the citizen’s family, who needed to be aware of the person’s intention to donate their organs and/or tissues. With AEDO, this expression of will is recorded within a database accessed by health professionals, who will have at hand proof of the deceased’s desire to present the family at the time of death.

“The provision that regulates the organ donation procedure ensured the importance of all citizens having free access to a safe mechanism that encourages and brings together the largest number of organ and tissue donors with the aim of respecting the declaration of the will of the donor,” said the National Inspector of Justice, Minister Luis Felipe Salomão.

To carry out the Electronic Authorization for Organ Donation, the interested party fills out a form directly on the website, which is received by the selected Notary’s Office. The notary then schedules a videoconference session to identify the interested party and collect their expression of will. Finally, the applicant and the notary digitally sign the AEDO, which is available for consultation by those responsible for the National Transplant System. The platform is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from any device with internet access.

Through the system, citizens will be able to choose which organ they wish to donate – bone marrow, intestine, kidney, lung, liver, cornea, heart or all –. In Brazil, the majority of people on the national transplant queue are waiting to donate a kidney, followed by a liver, heart, lung and pancreas. Last year alone, three thousand people died due to the lack of organ donation. Currently, more than 500 children are waiting for a new organ.

Be life in someone’s life

To disseminate the new donation system, the National Council of Justice and the Colégio Notarial do Brasil – Conselho Federal joined forces to launch the campaign “One Heart: be life in someone’s life”.

Starring actress Giovana Cordeiro, the advertising pieces encourage donations to AEDO, highlighting that society can transform sadness into joy, longing into hope and mourning into renewal.

The entire campaign was developed through partnerships, at no cost to the institutions. Supporters include the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM), health professional unions, public and private hospitals, Santas Casas, among others.