Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
August 23, 2002
Loren wants sale of human organs prohibited to stop
Growing business of Human Organs for sale to rich sick foreigners
=================================================================
Growing business of Human organs for sale to rich and sick
foreigners are reportedly becoming a lucrative business due to
poverty.
Alarmed on the negative effect, Senate Majority Leader Loren
Legarda sought yesterday to stop the illicit marketing of human
organs and tissues for profit by pushing for the immediate
passage of a law that would establish a unified national system
of organ sharing.
"The blatant sale of human organs by needy Filipinos is no
longer a secret. Stories about this black market have been
exposed both by broadcast and print media," the senator
said.
"Even some hospital staffers would admit that many wealthy
foreigners who need organ transplantations usually come to the
Philippines," Legarda explained in batting for the passage
of Senate Bill No. 615 or "The Human Organ and Tissue
Procurement and Transplant Act of 2001."
Introduced by Senator Legarda, SB615 seeks to establish a unified
national system of organ sharing encompassing a patient registry
to facilitate the success of organ transplantation and survival
of patients.
Some of the salient features of this bill are the following:
*The establishment and maintenance of a Human Organ Tissue
Procurement and Transplantation Network. This shall be a national
system which will facilitate the acquisition of human organs by
individuals in need of their transplantation for their survival.
* The creation of a Task Force which will conduct a study on all
tissues and common problem areas in the human organ and tissue
procurement and transplantation.
* The prohibition and punishment of individuals engaged in the
marketing of human organs and tissues for profit.
* The enhancement and promotion of programs for organ and tissue
donations.
In proposing to regulate the procurement and transplant of human
organs, Legarda said government must be able to devise a system
by which valuable human organs and tissues which are desperately
needed by waiting victims of end-stage organ failure could be
readily obtained and equitably distributed.
"The operative word here is equitably distributed. Thus, the
patient in gravest need of an organ transplant would get first
crack at available supplies. We want to stop the set-up of the
highest bidder obtaining through his wealth a status of
privilege," she explained.
Legarda said the act would also extend support to the laudable
efforts of voluntary non-government health organizations to
encourage citizens to become voluntary organ and tissue donors.
"At the same time, we want to prohibit and penalize the
marketing of human organs and tissue for profit. By this we refer
to a transaction whereby a person agrees for valuable
consideration to the sale or supply of any human organ or tissue
from his body or from of another person, whether before or after
his death or the death of the other person, as the case may
be," the lawmaker added. ///Camille p. balagtas