17 Sep :Realising that human organ trade has been thriving despite a regulatory mechanism in place, government has approved amendments to the Organ Transplantation Act to provide for stringent punishment to those indulging in such a practice.
The amendments to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 were approved in view of the illegal trade, particularly in kidneys, which often involves exploitation of poor people by some clinicians, managers of clinical centres, middlemen and others.
“The Cabinet approved the proposals of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to amend the provisions of the Act and also for imposing stringent penalties on persons or hospitals violating the provisions,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
She said the decision had been taken as despite putting in place a regulatory mechanism for transplantation of human organs, there have been reports about “thriving” human organ trade in India and the consequential exploitation of
economically weaker sections of society.
The objective is to prevent commercial dealings and make the system “transparent and patient-friendly”, Soni said after the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.