4 face trial over organ transplant sale scam
By Li Xinran |
March 17, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A MAN suspected of running an illegal organ-sale agency after selling part of his own liver is awaiting trial with three co-accused.
The Beijing Times said yesterday the suspect, surnamed Liu, launched his own business as broker for organ sales after selling 60 percent of his liver in December 2008.
Liu, 26, contacted an agency seeking kidney and liver donations in October 2008, and sold his liver section for 45,000 yuan (US$6,592).
After learning how the organ-donation system worked, Liu decided to set up his own businesses along those lines, the newspaper said.
He sought organ suppliers and buyers via instant online messaging and invited two colleagues from his hometown in Linshui County of southwest China's Sichuan Province to join his business based in Beijing.
At almost the same time, a man from Jiangjin District of Chongqing City contacted Liu and expressed his willingness to supply organs.
The man, surnamed Yang, met Liu in February last year and then looked after supplies for him from a base in central Henan Province.
Yang used 12 regular suppliers during "peak times," the newspaper said.
In just four deals, Liu received more than 100,000 yuan from buyers.
Liu could also earn about 20,000 yuan each time from various side benefits, the report said.
Suppliers often pretended to be buyers' relatives as some hospitals stipulated that only people sharing the same grandparents were eligible for organ transplants.
A liver supplier called police last May as he was beaten by Liu and more than 20 other thugs after he demanded more money from Liu.
The supplier was diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses but left hospital the next day, the newspaper said.
Liu immediately fled but was apprehended with the other three within two days.
China banned the sale of organs in 2007.
A law that became effective on May 1, 2007, stipulates that human organ transplants should respect the principle of free will.
It became a crime to harvest organs without the owner's permission or free will.
Every transplant must be approved by an ethics committee set up in medical institutions.
Competent
A designated mechanism ensures that these institutions are competent.
Unqualified institutions are expelled from the market.
China has carried out organ transplants for more than 20 years and is the world's second-largest performer of the surgery after the United States, with about 5,000 operations a year.
Most organs are donated by Chinese after death following the voluntary signing of a donation agreement.
But the country faces a huge gap between the demand for functional organs and donations.
About 1.5 million patients need organ transplants each year, but only about 10,000 find suitable organs, according to the Health Ministry.
The Beijing Times said yesterday the suspect, surnamed Liu, launched his own business as broker for organ sales after selling 60 percent of his liver in December 2008.
Liu, 26, contacted an agency seeking kidney and liver donations in October 2008, and sold his liver section for 45,000 yuan (US$6,592).
After learning how the organ-donation system worked, Liu decided to set up his own businesses along those lines, the newspaper said.
He sought organ suppliers and buyers via instant online messaging and invited two colleagues from his hometown in Linshui County of southwest China's Sichuan Province to join his business based in Beijing.
At almost the same time, a man from Jiangjin District of Chongqing City contacted Liu and expressed his willingness to supply organs.
The man, surnamed Yang, met Liu in February last year and then looked after supplies for him from a base in central Henan Province.
Yang used 12 regular suppliers during "peak times," the newspaper said.
In just four deals, Liu received more than 100,000 yuan from buyers.
Liu could also earn about 20,000 yuan each time from various side benefits, the report said.
Suppliers often pretended to be buyers' relatives as some hospitals stipulated that only people sharing the same grandparents were eligible for organ transplants.
A liver supplier called police last May as he was beaten by Liu and more than 20 other thugs after he demanded more money from Liu.
The supplier was diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses but left hospital the next day, the newspaper said.
Liu immediately fled but was apprehended with the other three within two days.
China banned the sale of organs in 2007.
A law that became effective on May 1, 2007, stipulates that human organ transplants should respect the principle of free will.
It became a crime to harvest organs without the owner's permission or free will.
Every transplant must be approved by an ethics committee set up in medical institutions.
Competent
A designated mechanism ensures that these institutions are competent.
Unqualified institutions are expelled from the market.
China has carried out organ transplants for more than 20 years and is the world's second-largest performer of the surgery after the United States, with about 5,000 operations a year.
Most organs are donated by Chinese after death following the voluntary signing of a donation agreement.
But the country faces a huge gap between the demand for functional organs and donations.
About 1.5 million patients need organ transplants each year, but only about 10,000 find suitable organs, according to the Health Ministry.
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