Organ transplantation in China: concerns remain
2015; Elsevier BV; Volume: 385; Issue: 9971 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0140-6736(15)60483-4
ISSN1474-547X
Autores Tópico(s)Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare
ResumoChinese leaders have begun to bring their country's organ donation system into line with international standards—a challenging task. Although we strongly support these efforts, more needs to be known to justify the praise in the Editorial1The LancetWeaning China off organs from executed prisoners.Lancet. 2015; 385: 1Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (12) Google Scholar in The Lancet. China's 1984 Provisional Regulations on the Use of Executed Prisoners' Corpses or Organs authorises procurement of organs if the body is not claimed, if the prisoner volunteers for organ donation, or if the family consents. Importantly, the recent announcement did not address whether these rules were abrogated in the October, 2014, reforms. Recent reports suggest that use of organs from death-row prisoners might continue under the pretext that prisoners have consented to organ donation as if they are free citizens.2Branigan T China to stop using executed prisoners as source of transplant organs.The Guardian (London). Dec 4, 2014; (accessed Feb 10, 2015)http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/04/china-stop-using-executed-prisoners-organs-transplant-demand-donationsGoogle Scholar Thus, the main change is that China will integrate organ donations from this source into its new, centralised system for voluntary organ donation,3Shan J Govt seeks fairness in organ donor system for inmates. China Daily USA (New York, USA).http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2014-03/07/content_17331138.htmGoogle Scholar thus obscuring its unethical origin. As previously stated, “it is obvious that prison inmates condemned to death are not truly free to make an autonomous and informed consent for organ donation and that no legal due process exists to assure consent”.4Delmonico F Chapman J Fung J et al.Open Letter to Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China: China's fight against corruption in organ transplantation.Transplantation. 2014; 97: 795-796Crossref PubMed Scopus (25) Google Scholar A substantial decrease in organ supply would be expected if this source were no longer available. China's surprising offer, in December, 2014, to provide transplant organs to Taiwan suggests that officials expect to be able to maintain—or increase—the number of transplants.5Chung J Taiwan cool to China's offer of organ donations. Taipe Times (Taipe City, Taiwan).http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/12/20/2003607153Google Scholar We await a more transparent and verifiable statement of policy from Chinese leaders before we offer our applause. We declare no competing interests. Weaning China off organs from executed prisonersWeaning China off harvesting organs from executed prisoners is a marathon not a sprint, according to Phelim Kine, the deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Indeed, this “marathon” is extraordinarily difficult and slow. Full-Text PDF
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