header-logo header-logo

Transplant tourism

04 January 2007
Issue: 7254 / Categories: Features
printer mail-detail

Seamus Burns considers the moral sensitivities surrounding the international trade in body parts

The recent revelations that executed Chinese prisoner’s organs are being used for transplantation purposes, and bought by rich recipients, raises fundamental issues about the legality and ethics of creating a market in buying and selling organs.

The number of executions and the correct figures for resulting transplantation procedures cannot be confirmed precisely, but the British Transplantation Society (BTS), in April 2006, claimed that China harvested the organs of thousands of executed prisoners without their consent every year to sell for transplants.

Professor Stephen Wigmore, chairman of the BTS’s ethics committee, argues that the speed with which donors are matched to patients—sometimes in as little as a week—implies that prisoners are being selected for transplantation before execution. Chinese government figures vigorously contest allegations about the scale of these ethically dubious transplantation procedures. On the 28 March 2006 a foreign ministry spokesperson, Qin Gang, stridently countered the accusations:

“It is a complete fabrication, a lie or slander to say that China forcibly takes organs from the people

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll