China criticised for alleged use of prisoner organs.
(April 19, 2006)
Reuters.uk, UK
Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:59 AM BST
LONDON (Reuters) - British transplant experts accused China on Wednesday of removing organs from executed prisoners without their consent in order to sell them.
The British Transplantation Society (BTS) said there is an accumulating body of evidence that suggests organs of executed prisoners are being removed for transplants and sold without the prior consent of the prisoners or their families.
Although the exact number of organs taken from prisoners is unknown, the BTS said the figure could be in the thousands.
"The British Transplantation Society condemns unreservedly any activity that transgresses an individual's human rights or involves the coercion of an individual to become an organ donor," Stephen Wigmore, chairman of the BTS ethics committee, said in a statement.
"The alleged use of organs from executed prisoners without consent is considered a breach of human rights and is an unacceptable practice," he added.
rights groups have also criticised the use of organs from executed prisoners and the hospitals that have allegedly turned to organ sales and transplants to raise funds.
Last month China said it would ban the sale of human organs and strengthen procedures for transplants by requiring written consent and limiting the number of hospitals doing the surgery.
A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said there had been cases where organs of executed prisoners were used without their consent.
But he said the cases were rare and against the law. He added that the same strict procedures apply to using organs from executed criminals as using them from deceased volunteer donors.
The BTS described the alleged sale of organs from executed prisoners as a "lamentable practice".
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-04-19T095923Z_01_L19665282_RTRUKOC_0_UK-CHINA-TRANSPLANTS.xml
Reuters.uk, UK
China does trade prisoner organs, say surgeons
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
(Filed: 19/04/2006)
British surgeons have accused China of harvesting the organs of thousands of executed prisoners a year to sell for transplants.
In a statement to be released today, the British Transplantation Society will condemn the practice as unacceptable and a breach of human rights.
Chinese officials denied the practice earlier this week.
The British Transplantation Society said increasing evidence suggested that the organs of thousands of executed prisoners in China were being removed for transplants without consent.
Professor Stephen Wigmore, who chairs the society's ethics committee, said the speed of matching donors and patients implied prisoners were being selected before execution.
He said: "The weight of evidence has accumulated to a point over the last few months where it's really incontrovertible in our opinion.
"We feel that it's the right time to take a stance against this practice."
Prof Wigmore said he and his colleagues all knew of patients who had researched the possibility of going to China for transplants.
Last week a Chinese health official said organs from executed prisoners were used, but only with prior permission and in very few cases.
Chinese authorities recently announced steps to tighten regulations surrounding transplants. From July, selling organs will be illegal and all donors must give written permission.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/19/uchina.xml&sSheet=/portal/2006/04/19/ixportaltop.html
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
(boxun.com)
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