Surgeons, lawyers call for 'transplanted tourism' ban

London, July 9 : Surgeons, lawyers and ethicists from 78 countries have called for a ban on transplant tourism - the practice of treating rich westerners with "donated" organs from poorer countries.

Through a global declaration, all the experts have said big "no" to the kidneys and other organs' transplants, which are taken from vulnerable people - some of whom are forced by poverty into selling organs.

The Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism also calls for surgeons who continue the practice to be stripped of their medical qualifications.

Signed by 152 professionals in Istanbul, Turkey, at the beginning of May, the agreement was issued on 7 July by bodies including The Transplantation Society, the International Society of Nephrology and the World Health Organization.

"It's a vision of medicine based around seeing every human as having dignity," New Scientist quoted Luc Noel of the WHO, as saying.

Medical affairs officer of The Transplantation Society, Francis Delmonico said that pressure from the declaration's backers has already helped trigger bans on transplant tourism in China, Pakistan and the Philippines.

Co-signatory Adrian McNeil, chief executive of the UK Human Tissue Authority said: "I think there will be more pressure because of this international consensus.

"But it will be a long haul. It would be foolish to expect things to happen overnight, because money is such a singular influence."

ANI