Chinese Organ Donation Plans Slammed

China's plan to tackle the nation's organ transplant demands by encouraging new drivers to become donors is getting mixed reviews.

As Reuters is reporting, a shortage of organs has driven a trade in illegal organ trafficking in the country. But by the end of 2011, Chinese people will be given the option of registering as organ donors when they apply for driving licenses, and the nation is also considering financial incentives to encourage people to voluntarily donate organs in an effort to build a nationwide voluntary organ donation system.

"The move is to streamline the donor registration system so as to expand the pool of organs available for transplant surgeries,"
Vice Health Minister Huang Jiefu is quoted as saying. Although nearly 1.5 million people in China need organ transplants each year, only 10,000 can get one. "Other financial compensation could also be considered, such as tax rebates, medical insurance or tuition waivers for donors' family members."

But as the BBC reports, Red Cross officials in Shanghai have criticized the new plan, saying the government should stop trying to copy Western methods and be more sensitive to Chinese traditions. According to custom, bodies must be buried intact. "Most Chinese would think it was a curse for them to fill out such a form while applying for driving license," Shanghai Red Cross spokesman Yang Junyi is quoted as saying, noting that similar incentives have fared poorly.

In addition, knowledge of the new plan is not widespread. "The driver's license applications are now in strict accordance with current traffic laws," a press officer with the Ministry of Public Security's traffic management bureau is quoted by China Daily as saying. "And, so far, we haven't heard of any changes to those laws."

Public opinion also seems to be divided. "I won't donate till I am sure that the use is transparent and fair," Shao Pei, a Beijing-based IT worker, said.

But Shanghai Red Cross spokesman Yang Junyi said yesterday Chinese people have different concepts about organ donation than their counterparts in the West.

Comments

[osofar]

06:10 AM on 04/27/2011

I have noticed that all articles about China are negative. Why?

[osofar]

06:06 AM on 04/27/2011

The way Chinese drive, they could quickly develope a surplus of spare organs.

[tksensei]

06:14 AM on 04/27/2011

That kind of s*&!t is not appropriate.

[Meesterclean]

02:56 AM on 04/27/2011

I guess there are some people at the top leadership who need some organs.

[Phalanxman]

02:20 AM on 04/27/2011

So here we go again. More controversy where the really doesn't appear to be any. Are Chinese citizens forced or required to donate organs? If the answer is, "No," then nothing prevents an individual from making a choice to make an organ donation, and if that causes the persons family angst because they are not buried "in tact,' then, "Oh well." On the other hand, any person who wants to be buried "in tact" is not forced to make an organ donation. Which doesn't even begin to address the question as to what happens to all victims of tragic accidents who are folded, bent, mangled or otherwise obliterated. The media's job is to provide news, not create its own. It also seems to me this is a case of the media creating a story where there really isn't one.

[moonlightesq]

01:29 AM on 04/27/2011

"I won't donate till I am sure that the use is transparent and fair," Shao Pei, a Beijing-based IT worker, said. I won't either. Unlike the U.S., organ trafficking is on the rise and very lucrative business in China. For all we know, the doctor may withheld lifesaving treatment in anticipation of selling the organ to the highest bidder.

[Phalanxman]

02:21 AM on 04/27/2011

Corruption exists in all societies, not the least of which is the U.S. society. It would seem such a possibility is a matter for the Chinese to worry about, not those who pass their time posting their thoughts on the Huffington Post.

[peegan]

03:01 AM on 04/27/2011

"It would seem such a possibilit­y is a matter for the Chinese to worry about, not those who pass their time posting their thoughts on the Huffington Post.".....
 
I think you are missing the whole point of the comment section. It is to offer a comment or opinion on the attached article.

[Jana Shearer]

01:04 AM on 04/27/2011

SO now this question begs an answer -Why does China have the highest amount of organ transplants and the shortest waiting times than any other country? There must be a large and ready organ bank already existing. http://organharvestinvestigation.net/

[Meesterclean]

12:50 AM on 04/27/2011

This is better than executing Falung Gong for their beliefs and taking their organs.

[moonlightesq]

01:48 AM on 04/27/2011

They will continue to execute Falung Gong, other prisoners and dissenters, in order to harvest their organs for $$$.

[altohone]

12:15 AM on 04/27/2011

The corruption in their pay to play current system should stop any sane person from volunteering to donate.

Connected old men are getting priority.

[MikeyJaii]

10:17 PM on 04/26/2011

Keep funding Science, eventually we'll create an artificial organ that can function perfectly as a real organ.

[Phalanxman]

02:23 AM on 04/27/2011

Science will eventually extend the Human life span to such a degree that most people will yearn for Death.

[tksensei]

07:05 AM on 04/27/2011

They've already got those. I believe they are referred to as 'marital aids'

[Bushido08]

07:44 PM on 04/26/2011

Red Cross officials in Shanghai have criticized the new plan, saying the government should stop trying to copy Western methods and be more sensitive to Chinese traditions...boy is this a twist Western methods or what??? And the Red Cross assumes that all Chinese are of such a religion that they have to go to heaven with all their body parts...isn't that sort of prejudicing the Chinese people? Some scholars doubt the use of the term "religion" in reference to Buddhism and Taoism, and suggest "cultural practices" or "thought systems" as more appropriate names. The questions of who should be called religious in China, and what religion or religions they should be called are up to debate. Generally, the percentage of people who call themselves religious in China has been the lowest in the world.

[tksensei]

08:49 PM on 04/26/2011

Your confusion stems from the fact that you are thinking of 'religion' from a purely Western point of view.

[Bushido08]

12:22 PM on 04/27/2011

No MY CONFUSION has nothing to do with religion...the author of this article attempts to confuse the issue with religion when in fact that is not the issue. It is cultural.

[nopaytaxes]

07:44 PM on 04/26/2011

we need something similar in this country if a person hasn't been a voluntary doner for at least 5 years no organs

[Andman0121]

07:30 PM on 04/26/2011

I think it's a great idea. In fact, why are we not encouraging new drivers here to donate their organs just in case? I realize that my liver/heart/etc. will only rot in the ground so I became an organ donor the second I got my license. What's the big deal?

[dennishastings]

09:07 PM on 04/26/2011

What's the big deal. Well, for one, people are hurting for cash. What's to stop people from starting a new 'business' where they run people off the road or take them out somehow so some rich guy can have a liver. Yeah, I know. It sounds outlandish. But weirder things have happened. All someone has to do it bribe a DMV employee.

[Andman0121]

07:22 PM on 04/27/2011

You're right, that is completely and utterly outlandish. Bordering on the absurd.

[DrivinMrDaisy]

06:15 PM on 04/26/2011

What's that fellow looking under the hood for?
A new liver?

[onionboy]

04:40 PM on 04/26/2011

"The driver's license applications are now in strict accordance with current traffic laws"

Anyone ever driven in China? Since when is anyone in strict accordance with traffic laws? Drive with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the horn...just like in Italy and many other places.

[DAE]

06:31 PM on 04/26/2011

W years agohen I traveled in Yunnan at night the drivers would drive with the lights off and only turn them on when another vehicle approached. When I asked why the driver said that Chinese had night vision.

[onionboy]

06:58 PM on 04/26/2011

A local in Rome when I asked about the "rules" for stopping (or not) at stop signs and lights.

"Rules are flexible, depending on where you are going, how fast you need to get there, and who you are...but attitude is most important."

To demonstrate, he just started walking across the street, but calmly waving his arms for cars to stop. Cars stopped, not to a screech, but more as if they'd just happened upon a red light in any law-abiding driving location. Once he passed by, everyone continued on their way with no honking or sour faces.

[tksensei]

07:06 AM on 04/27/2011

No, one hand on the wheel and the other on the Bible.

[CAMBEL]

04:37 PM on 04/26/2011

If the number of China's drivers continues to go up as quickly there will be no shortage of organs soon enough. Traffic accidents are where a huge number of organ donations in the U.S. come from. Sad to say, but the same will probably happen in China.