Confirmation of Chinese Prisoner Organ Harvests

Art Caplan, PhD, a pseudoeditor of the blog at the American Journal of Bioethics, reports on an admission from a Chinese official that confirms the rumor that prisoners are killed for their organs, which are then sold. US residents are among those that pay for these organs.

Speaking at a conference of surgeons in the southern city of Guangzhou, Deputy Health Minister Huang Jiefu called for a strict code of conduct and better record-keeping to stem China's thriving illegal organ trade, state media reported.

"Apart from a small portion of traffic victims, most of the organs from cadavers are from executed prisoners," said Huang, reported the English-language China Daily newspaper Thursday. "The current organ donation shortfall can't meet demand."

(From an article in the Houston Chronicle, originally published in the Los Angeles Times). Both require free subscription.

(Accidentally posted the first paste-and-cut version. )