Project Five: Organ Transplant New Law

Organ Transplant New Law 2010 WRAP


Kassasseya

4-18-10

LEAD-IN:

The new law on human organ transplants in Egypt is on hold. The law lacks a clear definition of death. A-U-C’s Christine Kassasseya has the story.

Organ transplant regulation was approved by Egypt’s Parliament last year. The law aims to decrease illicit trade in human organs.

The World Health Organization says that thousands of Egyptians sell their organs, like their kidneys, to pay off their debts. Egyptian Senior Product Specialist Oncology Department of Lipomed Roger Badawi confirms that the country’s economic conditions make it a prime target for organ trafficking.

BADAWI : “We can not deny that it happens in Egypt in illegal way, so we have to put some rules to make it more organized. We don’t want to legalize the abuse, we need to legalize the issue itself not the abuse of it”. (:17)

According to the law, organs donated from live donors will be restricted to “family members of the fourth degree”, and the removal of organs should be officially authorized by the Egypt’s Minister of Health higher Committee for Organ Transplants.

For deceased patients, the law stipulates that a three-person panel reach consensus on whether or not the potential donor is dead.

However, doctors disagree about the definition of death. Cardiologist and Physician consultant, Doctor Seif Abou Seif says the lack of a clear definition of death is the main reason behind the delay of the law.

ABOU SEIF: “One group says that when there is a brain death, that means the person is dead. The other group says that there should be a brain stem death to say that the person is dead”. (:22)

According to the new law, any decision to remove organs before the panel’s approval would be considered first-degree murder and punishable by death and a fine ranging from 100 000 LE to 300 000 LE.

The new law also states that transplant procedures for low-income patients will be financed by the State. Operations would be conducted according to case urgency, with a specialized committee in place to decide on priority cases.

Several months passed and the law is still not approved, and it might take time Abou Seif says,

ABOU SEIF: “Up till this moment I realize that both groups are not going to be one group or one word because every one of them is not feeling that the other is right”. (:19)

Christine Kassasseya, AUC News