China Institutes Guidelines for Organ Donation

(28 August 09-RV) China is setting up an organ donation registry in an effort to change a system that relies heavily on organs harvested from executed prisoners and black-market sellers. The goals of the program are to ensure quality, stop organ trading and “transplant tourism” and protect the rights of donors, Like in other countries, there’s a shortage of donors compared to those who need transplants. Chinese officials estimate that 1.5 million Chinese need transplants annually but only 10,000 are performed due to donor shortages. Only about 130 people have pledged to donate their organs since 2003. The Harvard university surgery professor and director of medical affairs for the Transplatation society is Dr. Frank Delmonico told us more