Strengthening Global Efforts to Combat Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism: Implications of the 2018 Edition of the Declaration of Istanbul

Abstract

The 2018 Edition of the Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism (DoI) provides an updated set of principles and definitions to guide policymakers and health professionals working in organ donation and transplantation. A draft of the new edition was circulated to the public and transplant professionals through an online consultation process, which also sought feedback on a draft explanatory article that explained the principles and discussed some of their practical implications. Both drafts were revised in response to feedback from participants in the consultation. We present here the discussion article, which is intended to assist stakeholders in applying the principles of the DoI by providing more detailed information about the meaning and potential implications of implementing the DoI in various contexts.

Why journals should stop publishing transplantation research from China

“…Although never officially endorsed by China, the Declaration of Istanbul prohibits organ trafficking, transplantation tourism, and exploitation of donors 26. It requires authorities to “be accountable for organ donation, allocation, and transplantation practices to ensure standardisation, traceability, transparency, quality, safety, fairness, and public trust.” Persistence of allegations of forced organ harvesting damages public trust in organ donation, transplantation, and healthcare professions in general.…”

The role of kidney transplantation as a component of integrated care for chronic kidney disease

“…The legal and ethical requirement for consent for donation and transplantation is an essential mechanism for the protection of donors and transplant recipients. 16 In addition to the routine steps involved in obtaining valid consent to surgical and medical interventions, procedural elements designed to safeguard the voluntariness of donation and promote informed decision making may be required for donation and transplantation. These may include specific strategies to identify and address signs of potential coercion or manipulation of potential donors, such as risk factors associated with organ trafficking.…”

Can we still ignore renal replacement therapy in sub-Saharan Africa? All living beings are created equal

“…First of all, we requested to make legislations in Tanzania to avoid organ buying according to Istanbul Declarations [17]. Now a difficult but significant big project began since autumn in 2016 because at the moment, an operation theater even neither had been used nor constructed.…”