Press Releases
Amendments to improve Human Organ Transplant Ordinance
A bill which provides for the amendment of the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance, is published in the Gazette today (June 8).
The Ordinance was last amended in 1999 to specify, among other things, the circumstances in which an organ transplant involving a live donor may still be carried out in cases where the recipient is incapable of understanding the explanation required to be given to him under the Ordinance.
In the light of the operating experience of the Ordinance, some elements that may prevent the Human Organ Transplant Board from discharging its duties effectively were identified.
"The amendments proposed in the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2001 mainly relate to the definition of organs, the appointment of temporary members to the Board, transplant relating to organs previously removed for therapeutic purposes and the handling of imported organs," a Government spokesman said.
Apart from these, other minor problems noted include the need to formalize the appointments of secretary and legal adviser, possible delay in transplant due to the requirement of the same interviewer for donor and recipient, lack of sanction for non-compliance with certain provisions, absence of protection of members and officers of the Board from personal liability and the need to rearrange the different requirements in the existing section 5 under more distinct categories.
"The amendments proposed will improve the existing Ordinance. The established policy of prohibiting commercial dealings in human organs intended for transplant remains unchanged," the spokesman stressed.
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on June 20, 2001.
End/Friday, June 8, 2001
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