The Chinese health authorities have said organs of convicts on death row will no longer be “donated” as has been the practice in the past on a step-by-step basis.
Wang Haibo, bead of COTRS, the center for organ transplant, said a new system for organ transplant will be introduced from the beginning of next year at the latest in an interview with the World Health Organization.
“Under the new system, organs from those who are executed will be terminated step by step,” Wang said. His comments were posted in the regular notice of WHO for this month.
The demand for organ transplant is extremely big in China with demands reaching 1.5 million per year but supply remaining at just 10,000.
In March, the a senior official of the center admitted that the organs of convicts who are executed are the major source of the transplants.
Following the revelation, the Chinese government said the practice will be terminated within five years.
Wang said, “It has been recognized that using the organs of executed convicts is immoral and cannot continue in the long term. We are developing a new system which takes into consideration not only the scientific aspects but social and cultural implications as well.”