Transplant Crime

From details flagged up by local Labour Euro MEP Glennis Willmott, this Thursday sees a report and debate in the European Parliament around measurers to combat transplant crime.

A crime which with the numbers of people needed transplants increasing more rapidly than the number of organs being donated is something which desperate people may be more likely to fall victim too in the form of organ traffickers and transplant tourism.

In fact Glennis who is a member of the European Parliament’s influential Committee on Public Health comments that when illegal organ transplants are practised, safety is often ignored with the lives of both the donor and the recipient being put at risk and as such with almost 8000 people across the UK and nearly 40,000 across Europe waiting from transplants a better system is needed.

Which is why this week following a debate on the report the European Parliament is voting on proposals to improve organ donation and transplantation across the EU.

Glennis says introducing a European Donor Card to boost donor numbers and setting up a Europe-wide ‘transplant hotline’ to improve efficiency could both help stamp out organ trafficking and tourism.

“The international black market in organs is luring people in search of a kidney or other organ and people living in poverty or vulnerable circumstances are being exploited. They become the spare parts inventory for the sick.

“Governments across Europe need to do more to prevent this shameful crime.”

For further information go to http://www.gleniswillmott.labour.co.uk/