MEPs end black market of organ donation

The European Parliament has voted for clear safety standards across the EU for organ donations and to widen the criteria of people able to make living organ donations. Local Conservative MEPs Roger Helmer and Emma McClarkin are delighted by the vote.

The East Midlands Euro MPs believe that the new rules approved by MEPs will increase confidence with cross-border donation and will save many lives.

MEPs now want each EU country to set up an authority that will oversee strict rules relating to the sourcing, traceability and safety of organs. This would end the real (and fictional) horror stories of the black market in organ donation.

The move will also ensure that donors are protected by providing an evaluation of the health of the donor and a list of the comprehensive risks about the dangers involved with donation.

It will also assure recipients that living donation is not restricted to family or close friends so long as it is not for commercial gain.

Roger Helmer adds:

“I am delighted that MEPs have recognised that post mortem donations cannot achieve the supply of organs needs alone. We have set up controls and guidelines to ensure that living organ donation can be widened, potentially saving lives and enabling people outside of the immediate family circle to help if they want to.”

Emma McClarkin comments:

“This move also assures recipients that the donated organs are fully traceable and safe. This can only be good news and will put to bed all the horror stories, some real, some imagined about stolen, sold or worse organs. I now call on the European Commission to act quickly and turn this proposal into law. Every day wasted is a potential life lost.”