China’s Vice Minister of Health, Huang Jiefu, announced that China will set up a voluntary organ donation program and, within two years, will be able to reduce its reliance on organs from executed prisoners. “China has become a major country in organ transplants, second to the United States. However, China has a ‘soft rib’ – long term reliance on organs donated by executed prisoners,” Huang said.
Huang acknowledged that “there are some deep issues relating to organ transplants that are yet to be resolved, including confusion about organ sources, a lack of donated organs, an illegal organ trade, and transplant tourism.”
Huang stated, “The Party’s Central Committee is determined that China, as a major political and civilized power, will change this situation.”
[Editor’s Note: Several sources have reported that a large number of organs have been harvested secretly, with security forces and military-medical personnel conducting the operations. While the Ministry of Health announced it will reduce its reliance on organs from executed prisoners, it has no authority over operations that take place in military hospitals.]
Source: Southern Metropolis Daily (Nanfang Dushi), November 22, 2012
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