China, the only country that still systematically takes organs from executed prisoners for use in transplant operations, plans to end the controversial practice from next month, a state-run newspaper said on Friday.
The government has over the last year flagged plans to end the practice, which has drawn criticism from rights groups, who have accused authorities of taking many organs without consent from prisoners or their families, a claim Beijing has denied.
The official China Daily said that human organ transplants will from Jan. 1 rely on voluntary public donations and on donations from living relatives.
“Harvesting organs from executed prisoners for transplants is controversial, despite written consent being required from donors and their relatives,” Huang Jiefu, head of the China Organ Donation Committee, was quoted as saying.
via China to end use of prisoners’ organs for transplants next month | Reuters.
CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon 