MAYBE the thought of bad publicity as it gears up for the 2008 summer Olympics forced China’s hand. Maybe not. Nevertheless, China finally bowed to international pressure and agreed to ban transplant tourism, the practice of treating rich westerners with “donated” organs, often taken from executed prisoners.
At a summit on transplants in Guangzhou in mid-November, the Chinese government declared: “Payments for organs and transplant tourism are not permitted”.
The declaration further specified that written consent must be obtained from donors, or from the family if the donor cannot consent. Chinese nationals will receive priority, and foreigners will only be…
