Last week’s drive to attract new organ donors attracted a record number of new signatures, but most were people stating that they did not want their organs to be used after their death.

In total, a record 50,000 people signed the Dutch organ donation register, but 76% of them said ‘no’ to the use of their organs, the health ministry figures show.

The reason is likely to be new legislation on organ donation which will ensure everyone is automatically a donor unless they opt out, experts say. In previous years, some 24,000 people have registered to be a donor, but this year, the figure was half that.

The draft bill was passed by one vote in the lower house of commons but still has to go through the senate before it becomes law. Until it does, nothing has changed and ‘it is crucial people continue to make a choice,’ the ministry said.

In previous years, almost nine in 10 people signing the register supported organ donation.

Some 1,000 people are currently on the list for an organ and last year 134 people died before they could be helped.