DAFOH sees previous findings confirmed as US media exposes China's ruse for unethical transplant medicine

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A story that ran November 16 in the New York Times vindicated the concerns raised by medical doctors and humanitarian groups around the globe about China's unfulfilled pledge to stop using organs illegally harvested from executed prisoners.

The story, "China Bends Vow, Using Prisoners' Organs for Transplants," shows that the People's Republic of China failed to live up to its pledge to stop taking organs from non-voluntary prisoners with a rhetorical sleight-of-hand, labeling incarcerated victims "citizens" within the public domain, instead of "prisoners." The World Medical Association's secretary general, Dr. Otmar Kloiber, clearly described this development, "The practice there is unethical and should be changed to an ethical practice. Administrative tricks don't make it ethical."

When the change in policy was announced in December 2014, the NGO Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting, (DAFOH), cautioned about China's announcements. Now, almost 12 months later, these concerns are echoed by the Times' reporting. In addition to the semantic ruse, DAFOH stresses that China has not yet acknowledged, nor pledged to end, the forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience-a large group of ostracized citizens detained for their thoughts and beliefs. The primary victim group are Falun Gong practitioners who suffer a nationwide persecution, unlawful imprisonment and are subjected to forced medical exams and blood tests while in detention. Other victims include Christians, Uighurs, and Tibetans.

The state sanctioned forced organ harvesting practices in China are subsidized by the courts, police and the military. The harvesting of organs results in the eventual death of the victim in detention. This differs from black market organ procurement and transplants, where citizens are lured into organ donation with financial or material incentives.

DAFOH urges international regulators to help prevent the Chinese regime's unethical transplant practices. As more citizens opt to travel to China for "quick transplants," the US Congress is considering a new bipartisan proposal: House Resolution 343, in the House of Representatives, aims to see an end of this human rights atrocity in China.

Contact:
Damon Noto, MD
DAFOH Spokesperson
Tel: +1-917-912-4858
[email protected]

www.DAFOH.org  
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SOURCE Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting

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