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“Ethical practices
in organ donation and transplantation, as well as access to organs, are of
paramount concern” - Dr Samlee Plianbangchang,
WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia
New Delhi, 2 February 2009: Transplantation of
human organs, tissues and cells is a worldwide practice that has extended and
enhanced the quality of hundreds of thousands of lives. It has also given rise to unethical
practices because of a gap between demand and supply. The World Health
Organization aims to equip its Member States with a set of guiding principles
at a regional meeting on WHO Guiding Principles on Organ Transplantation to assist them in promoting safe and
ethical transplantations.
“WHO advocates strategies that would improve the quality,
efficacy and safety of donations and transplantation.
We need to ensure transparency and address legislation appropriately to
prevent trade in organs and exploitation of humans”, said Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO
Regional Director for South-East Asia, at
the opening of the meeting.
Twenty prominent policy-makers and transplant surgeons
from the South-East Asia Region, along with experts from India, Spain,
Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States,
will be attending this four-day event.
WHO estimates that globally, about 66 000 kidney
transplants take place every year. In addition, 21
000 liver and 6 000 heart transplants are undertaken. Estimated numbers of
annual kidney transplants in India
and Thailand
are around 5 000 and 300, respectively. In India alone, 150 000 patients
suffer from end-stage renal disease, while 200 000 patients need liver
transplantation and 80 000 require heart transplants. The non-availability of
adequate numbers of donors remains a major challenge.
In light of these challenges, as well as changes in
practices and attitudes regarding organ and tissue transplantation, WHO has
updated its Guiding Principles on Human Organ Transplantation in 2008 through
an extensive process of global consultation.
These revised guiding principles are intended to provide
an orderly, ethical and acceptable framework for acquisition and
transplantation of human cells, tissues and organs for therapeutic purposes.
They address issues of access, quality, safety and ethics in transplantation.
In addition, WHO launched a Global Knowledge base on Transplantation (GKT) in
2006 to collect global data on transplantation-related activities and
practices, legal framework and organizational structure.
“In spite of existing legal frameworks on transplantation
of human organs in several countries in the South-East Asia Region,
commercialization and trafficking in human organs is frequently reported in
various countries. Ethical practices
in organ donation and transplantation, as well as access to adequate numbers
of organs, are of paramount concern to WHO”, Dr Plianbangchang stressed.
Where : SMS Taj Hotel, Jaipur, India
What : Regional meeting on WHO Guiding Principles on Organ
Transplantation
When : 2-5 February 2009
For any clarification or additional information, please
contact: Ms Vismita Gupta Smith, Public Information Advocacy Officer at
telephone: 011 2330 9401; e-mail guptasmithv@searo.who.int;
or Ms Shima Roy Communication Officer (CSR Unit) at telephone: 011 2330 9591; e-mail roys@searo.who.int
All press releases, fact sheets and other WHO media material may be found at: www.searo.who.int.
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