Claims of widespread harvesting of prisoners’ organs in China ‘ridiculous’ … we stopped doing it last year, committee chief insists
A former deputy health minister now overseeing an overhaul of the organ transplant system on Monday dismissed claims of widespread harvesting of prisoners’ organs on the mainland, calling it an “insult” to transplant professionals and donors.
At an international conference in Hong Kong, Huang Jiefu, 70, who heads China’s organ donation and transplant committee, said China stopped harvesting organs from executed prisoners in January last year. (!)
China long relied on executed prisoners as the main source of transplant organs, with the convicts supplying about two-thirds of the total. Organ donation by members of the public is low due in part to a traditional belief that bodies should be buried or cremated intact.
A former deputy health minister now overseeing an overhaul of the organ transplant system on Monday dismissed claims of widespread harvesting of prisoners’ organs on the mainland, calling it an “insult” to transplant professionals and donors.
At an international conference in Hong Kong, Huang Jiefu, 70, who heads China’s organ donation and transplant committee, said China stopped harvesting organs from executed prisoners in January last year. (!)
China long relied on executed prisoners as the main source of transplant organs, with the convicts supplying about two-thirds of the total. Organ donation by members of the public is low due in part to a traditional belief that bodies should be buried or cremated intact.
