Organ transplants for foreign tourists banned

By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)

Updated: 2009-02-11 07:43

The Ministry of Health (MOH) Tuesday reiterated that organ transplants for foreign visitors holding tourist visas are prohibited and medical institutions involved in the illegal practice will be dealt with harshly.

China opposes organ transplant for foreign tourists in accordance with international practice, said Mao Qunan, spokesman of the MOH at a press conference.

"Due to the lack of organ donors, shortage of organs is a problem in all countries, not just China. Priority must be given to domestic patients in urgent need of an operation," he said.

"If we started allowing organ transplants for tourists, the existing order will be disturbed."

The ministry said domestic medical institutions that wish to conduct organ transplants should get approval from the provincial health departments, which must first report to the MOH before giving their nod.

Domestic hospitals must also prohibit their doctors from performing organ transplants while traveling overseas as tourists, it said.

So far, the ministry has granted over 160 medical institutions the license to conduct such operations since China issued the Provisions on Human Organ Transplant on May 1, 2007.

In another development, the ministry yesterday urged health department and hospitals to be alert for the bird flu virus as most human infection cases occur in spring.

Eight people were found to have contracted the H5N1 virus since last December. Five of them have died.

Meanwhile, the ministry urged health authorities and hospitals to strengthen hospital administration to prevent medical accidents in the wake of four anesthesia-related deaths.

The ministry attributed four of the deaths in the southern province of Fujian last year to "loose hospital administration," said Mao.