Hot Spots

Activity related to the organ trade around the world

Also see the photographic essay by Nancy Scheper-Hughes

England

• Cadaveric organ theft
  
  In December of 1999 Dutch pathologist Professor Dick van Velzen of Liverpool was discovered to have removed at least 850 organs from deceased children, most without the consent of the parents. The organs were to be used for research but a shortage in funding prevented the research from continuing. (The Independent (London), December 5, 1999, Sunday, p 19 and The Daily Telegraph (London) December 4, 1999 Saturday, p 1)
  
  
• Organ sales
  
  Indian medical institutions sell kidneys to private English hospitals (D. Brahams: "Medicine and Law," citado in Kidney sales, (news) in Lancet April 14, 1992). As a consequence a law was passed making such transactions illegal, both for the sellers and the buyers (D. Brahams: kidneys for sale by live donors," in Lancet Feb 4, 1989, 1 (8632) pp 285-286. No such transactions have been reported since. (Doctor with childrens organs)