William Atkins
Monday, 04 August 2008 21:32
Science -
Biology
Page 1 of 2
The Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism has been signed by professionals from 78 countries in an effort to stop the buying of human organs, such as kidneys, from people so poor that they are forced to sell their own organs.
These professionals, which include doctors and lawyers, signed the
Istanbul Declaration so they would be a large and effective voice to help convince countries around the world to end the buying and selling of human organs from the poorest peoples in their countries.
The Declaration hopes to ban human transplants in those cases where the poor are forced to sell their own organs.
According to the website “
Istanbul Declaration Sees Organ Transplantation Worldwide Threatened by Organ Trafficking and Transplant tourism and Commercialism,” by the International Society of Nephrology,
“Organ commercialism, which targets vulnerable populations (such as illiterate and impoverished persons, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, and political or economic refugees) in resource-poor countries, has been condemned by international bodies such as the World Health Organization for decades. Yet in recent years, as a consequence of the increasing ease of internet communication and the willingness of patients in rich countries to travel and purchase organs, organ trafficking and transplant tourism have grown into global problems. For example, as of 2006, foreigners received two-thirds of the 2000 kidney transplants performed annually in Pakistan.”
(FYI: Nephrology is the study of kidneys.)
The
ISN website continues,
“The Declaration of Istanbul proclaims that the poor who sell their organs are being exploited, whether by richer people within their own countries or by transplant tourists from abroad. Moreover, transplant tourists risk physical harm by unregulated and illegal transplantation. Participants in the Istanbul Summit concluded that transplant commercialism and tourism and organ trafficking should be prohibited. And they also urged their fellow transplant professionals, individually and through their organizations, to put an end to these unethical activities and foster safe, accountable practices that meet the needs of transplant recipients while protecting donors.”
As of April 2008, 152 professionals from the country of Turkey signed the Declaration. In July 2008 the Declaration was issued by such organizations as the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Society of Nephrology, and the Transplantation Society.
Additional information on the wording of the Instanbul Declaration, along with some of the positives already seen around the world, is found on page two.
