NEW DELHI, INDIA - Recognising that problems of commercial exploitation of organs, transplant tourism and illegal trafficking of organs from poor to rich countries are dogging the world, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested setting up a global forum on transplantation to address these issues and promote equitable access to organs.

WHO has indicated its knowledge of many cases where people in poor countries were persuaded to sell their body parts to outsiders, mostly through a broker. Selling of organs, especially kidneys, by the poor and their exploitation has also been reported in India several times.

The issue was discussed at the second Global Consultation on Transplantation in Geneva in which WHO presented a blueprint for global guiding principles on cell, tissue and organ donation and transplantation. The blueprint is aimed at addressing problems such as global shortage of human materials, especially organs, for transplantation, growing phenomenon of transplant tourism , quality, safety and efficacy issues, traceability and accountability of human materials crossing borders.

The meeting also agreed to create a Global Forum on Transplantation to be spearheaded by WHO, to assist and support developing countries in transplantation programmes and to work towards a unified global coding system for cells, tissues and organs. It also agreed to set up a global observatory in Madrid under the auspices of the Spanish government, which would provide an interface for health authorities and the general public to access data on donation and transplantation practices, legal frameworks and obstacles to equitable access.

"Human organs are not spare parts. No one can put a price on an organ which is going to save someones life" says Dr Howard Zucker, WHO assistant director-general of health technology and pharmaceuticals.

Non-existent or lax laws on organ donation and transplantation encourage commercialism and transplant tourism.

According to Dr. Luc Noel, in charge of transplantation at WHO, "If all countries agree on a common approach, and stop commercial exploitation, then access will be more equitable and we will have fewer health tragedies".