Report violations of organ transplant ban

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) urged the public to report to the agency cases of organ transplantation in the country in violation of the total ban on transplant procedures for foreigners.

In a recent forum, Health Undersecretary Alexander Padilla said the DOH can only rely on reports of the National Bureau of Investigation because their agency has no capacity to investigate.

There are reports that organ transplantation continues in some parts of the country despite the “absolute ban” on the procedure.

“The public should provide us concrete details if it is true because we just rely on NBI reports. We don’t have the capacity to investigate,” Padilla said.

Last week, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III imposed a total ban on foreign transplants since the majority of those who benefit from kidney transplants are foreigners.

Duque added that this has led to the rampant sale of organs by poor Filipinos.

The decision was announced a month after Duque issued an administrative order dispelling the impression that “kidney transplantation is part of medical tourism.”

Organ transplantation for foreigners has been suspended since January as the DOH worked on drafting the recently promulgated order.

Earlier reports disclosed that foreigners are being prioritized as organ recipients over local patients since foreigners are reportedly willing to pay P100,000 to P200,000 for each donated organ.

According to reports, from 2006 to 2007 alone, at least 200,000 patients from countries like the United States and its territories, South Pacific nations, Canada, Korea, and Japan have come to visit the Philippines to undergo various organ transplant operations.

There are 20 medical facilities in Metro Manila that perform organ transplantation, according to the health department. About six to seven of these hospitals have been sanctioned after they were found violating the law on organ transplantation.

A board created by the new DOH policy made the recommendation to totally ban organ transplantation for foreigners.