European Parliamentary Labour Party: : Stop Organ Trafficking

The European Parliament will vote on Tuesday on a report by the Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, which identifies organ shortage as a common problem in all European countries. MEPs are also addressing a wide range of issues, including a European donor card, to tackle problems like organ shortage, transplantation risks and organ trafficking.

Labour MEP Glenis Willmott is especially highlighting the problem of organ trafficking and "transplant tourism". Speaking from the European Parliament, Glenis Willmott MEP says: "Despite robust legislation in many parts of the world, the international black market in organs is now well-established, coaxing desperate people to far-flung countries in search of a kidney or another organ."

Glenis Willmott MEP continues: "We should not view organ trafficking as a distant crime. Several poorer European nations have also become embroiled in the transplant trade. European governments and institutions must do more to prevent the shameful trafficking of human organs."

The European Parliament's committee is also calling for organ donations to remain strictly non-commercial and for the introduction of a transplant hotline, which would be able to provide rapidly relevant and accurate information.

Notes to editors:

The full report is available from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A6-2008-0090+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN
In early 2007 the WHO outlined the need for international guidelines to halt transplant tourism.
In the UK between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007:

3,086 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 1,495 donors.
949 lives were saved in the UK through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart/lung, liver/kidney, liver/pancreas or heart/kidney transplant.

For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on + 32 479 790 053.

European Parliamentary Labour Party, European Parliament, Rue Wiertz, 1047 BRUSSELS, Belgium -

Tel: 00 32 2 28 43736 Fax: 00 32 2 28 49061


Home Labour MEPs EPLP Spokespeople Michael Cashman MEP Richard Corbett MEP Robert Evans MEP Glyn Ford MEP Neena Gill MEP Mary Honeyball MEP Richard Howitt MEP Stephen Hughes MEP Glenys Kinnock MEP David Martin MEP Linda McAvan MEP Arlene McCarthy MEP Claude Moraes MEP Eluned Morgan MEP Brian Simpson MEP Peter Skinner MEP Catherine Stihler MEP Gary Titley MEP Glenis Willmott MEP What does an MEP do? Current Issues Myths & Lies Publications News Subscribe Get the latest news by email Get news via an RSS feed » More info		Printer friendly version Stop Organ Trafficking 21 April 2008, 4:40pm Last year around 2,400 people in the UK benefited from an organ transplant, but more than 1,000 people die every year waiting for a transplant. The European Parliament will vote on Tuesday on a report by the Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, which identifies organ shortage as a common problem in all European countries. MEPs are also addressing a wide range of issues, including a European donor card, to tackle problems like organ shortage, transplantation risks and organ trafficking. Labour MEP Glenis Willmott is especially highlighting the problem of organ trafficking and "transplant tourism". Speaking from the European Parliament, Glenis Willmott MEP says: "Despite robust legislation in many parts of the world, the international black market in organs is now well-established, coaxing desperate people to far-flung countries in search of a kidney or another organ." Glenis Willmott MEP continues: "We should not view organ trafficking as a distant crime. Several poorer European nations have also become embroiled in the transplant trade. European governments and institutions must do more to prevent the shameful trafficking of human organs." The European Parliament's committee is also calling for organ donations to remain strictly non-commercial and for the introduction of a transplant hotline, which would be able to provide rapidly relevant and accurate information. Notes to editors: The full report is available from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A6-2008-0090+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN In early 2007 the WHO outlined the need for international guidelines to halt transplant tourism. In the UK between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007: 3,086 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 1,495 donors. 949 lives were saved in the UK through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart/lung, liver/kidney, liver/pancreas or heart/kidney transplant. For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on + 32 479 790 053. European Parliamentary Labour Party, European Parliament, Rue Wiertz, 1047 BRUSSELS, Belgium - Tel: 00 32 2 28 43736 Fax: 00 32 2 28 49061