'No new rules to check kidney transplantation'

New Delhi, Feb 16: Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan today called for strict implementation of laws to check illegal kidney transplants and other organ trade in the country.

''There are already sufficient laws in the country to check illegal organ trade. The only question is to implement these more strictly,'' Justice Balakrishnan told journalists on the sidelines of a function here. However, he refused to elaborate further and parried questions on the recently unearthed kidney transplant racket in the national capital region and other parts of the country.

The Chief Justice of India was asked if there was a need for stringent laws to check illegal kidney transplants and other organ trade in the country. Earlier addressing the Second National Congress on Prevention of Kidney Disease in India, AIIMS Director Dr T D Dogra called for regulation of the kidney donation process in the country.

''In the recent past, we have heard of the kidney transplantation rackets which have been reported in the media, alleging that the kidneys have been obtained from donors by illegal means,'' he said.

''Something is required to be done urgently with regard to the regulation pertaining to kidney donation to make the process flawless and transparent so that the expertise of kidney transplantation becomes a beneficial tool for the patients and society instead of becoming a criminal activity,'' Dr Dogra said.

UNI