State Organs: Transplant Abuse in China

by David Matas (Editor), Torsten Trey (Editor)

China's organ transplant numbers are second only to the United States. Unlike any other country, virtually all Chinese organs for transplants come from prisoners. Many of these are prisoners of conscience. The killing of prisoners for their organs is a plain breach of the most basic medical ethics. State Organs explores the involvement of Chinese state institutions in this abuse. The book brings together authors from four continents who share their views and insights on the ways to combat these violations. State Organs aims to inform the reader and hopes to influence change in China to end the abuse.

Genres: China

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2008

Reviews

[Jessica Sacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of articles laying out what it is possible for us to know about the harvesting of organs from Chinese prisoners. Some of these have been condemned to death by trial, some belong to persecuted Christian, Muslim or Tibetan communities, the vast majority are prisoners of conscience, followers of the Buddhist-based beliefs and practices of the once-encouraged Falun Gong movement. Imprisoned in a network of camps and jails, these men and women form a living organ bank large enough that Chinese hospitals can guarantee kidney, liver, cornea and heart transplants to local and oversees transplant candidates at the patient's convenience, and for enormous profit to both hospital and jail.

Foreign pharmaceutical companies and medical professionals who recommend transplant tourism to China are complicit in this, so it is extremely important to raise awareness of this issue, and that governments, medical bodies and patients demand greater transparency on the sources of donor organs in China. A small number of countries have successfully outlawed the use of Chinese on-demand organ supply to patients. Were others to follow, this crime against humanity, which is diametrically opposed to traditional Chinese values, would cease to be profitable. An important read, and not a difficult one, as the tone is factual and never lurid, despite the subject matter.

[Mihnea Boiangiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The books describes a terrifying truth, live organs commerce in communist China. It's something surreal because we cannot conceive this to happen in the present times. The atrocities conducted by the communist regime have reached a new level - dehumanizing the individual and transform him in a merchandise. In China they use organs taken from executed prisoners for transplants. They encourage medical tourism because they want to money from the wealthy patients. Prisoners are killed on schedule to deliver the organs where is needed. Besides, there is information that the system persecutes a spiritual group called Falun Gong, using them as banks of organs for transplant.

Although there are no signs to end that, the medical community makes pressure to exclude Chinese doctors from any study or conference as long as they cannot provide clear evidence upon the organs donated for their patients.

[Monty · Rating 4 out of 5]

super interesting read, horrific what's happening but it was well written and all flowed together despite each section being different collections of work.