A needed Convention against trafficking in human organs

More than 114 000 organ transplants are done annually in over 100 countries. Estimating that 5—10% of kidney transplants result from commercial transactions, WHO has warned against the worldwide “trade for profit in human organs”, which tarnishes this life-saving therapy. Although legislation forbidding organ sales exists in most countries, progress has been impeded by weak enforcement and the absence of comprehensive binding international instruments to harmonise regulations and improve cross-national cooperation. The Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs, soon to be adopted by the Council of Europe, provides a solution to these problems by identifying distinct activities that constitute “trafficking in human organs”, which ratifying states are obligated to criminalise. The central concept is “the illicit removal of organs”, which consists of removal without the free, informed, and specific consent of a living donor; removal from a deceased donor other than as authorised under domestic law; removal when a living donor (or a third party) has been offered or received a financial gain or comparable advantage; or removal from a deceased donor when a third party has been offered or received a financial gain or comparable advantage (read more). Print this post