Network for organ donations in China to end prison harvesting
Transplant patients in most need to be targeted under new computerised system that will end the reliance on organs from executed prisoners
A computerised system to match transplant organs to patients and end the reliance on harvesting organs from executed criminals and the black market is being introduced on the mainland.
Sweeping reforms designed to ensure a fair and transparent system also mean that organ donation co-ordinators will be required to obtain professional qualifications.
Probably, in less than two years, the reliance on death row inmates will be gone
The new system, similar to the United Network for Organ Sharing in the United States, will be introduced from September 1, according to national health commission officials.
It will allocate organs through a centralised computer network among the 165 mainland hospitals allowed to carry out transplants, Xinhua reported.
Doctors who use organs other than those obtained from the centralised sharing network will be disqualified.
The new rules will give mainland hospitals an open, unified and fair platform to share organs donated by volunteer donors.
Up until now, hospitals have had to source organs through their own channels and were reluctant to share with each other.