Manila, Philippines — There is a raging debate in Singapore today: Should the government legalize the organ trade? Should Singapore endorse transplant tourism? The debate began last month when two young Indonesians were jailed for trying to sell their kidneys to a wealthy businessman in Singapore. The Human Organ Transplant Act of Singapore prohibits the supply of any organ or blood for monetary transaction.
Singapore is fifth highest in the world in terms of incidence of kidney failure. According to a news report, at least 3,500 people in Singapore have kidney failure; 600 are on transplant lists. But they have to wait up to nine years for an organ from a deceased donor. This explains why many Singaporeans are seeking kidney transplants in other countries.
The people are divided on the issue of buying and selling organs. Some are in favor of it in order to save lives. Others oppose it because it involves the exploitation of the poor. The Singapore Medical Association, to the surprise of some doctors, voted against the legalization of the organ trade. The group cited the short-term and long-term medical complications arising from kidney transplants.
As expected, Catholic groups are criticizing the organ trade. They ask: “A donated organ can save a life but at whose expense? Will the organ trade lead to an economic allocation of resources where only those who can pay will stand a better chance of survival in receiving an organ transplant? Will an organ be treated like a commodity?”
One Catholic blogger wrote that the organ trade reflects the widespread commercialization in society and insisted that the relationship between the organ donor and the recipient has no altruistic meaning, but is purely a commercial transaction.
But lawyers Jennifer Yeo and Madan Mohan support the organ trade on the grounds that it can help both the poor and the kidney patient. They wrote:
“Is it fair to criminalize such social relationships where no third party is harmed? When a social relationship is forged which gives a new lease of life to both the stakeholders, then law ought not to step in to criminalize and punish such relationships.
“Organ donation, even if it involves valuable consideration, may make life better for both parties who find no way out of problems of health or poverty. If the state – and the altruists – cannot help the poor in overcoming their problems, it ought not to raise more barriers for them.”
The government of Singapore seems to be in favor of a limited organ trade. The minister of health recently hinted that a certain procedure allowing trade in organs will be tested soon. Singapore is reviewing the practice in Spain and Norway, which allow the use of cadaveric kidneys from persons above 60 years old. Singapore does not accept kidney donations from the elderly.
Iran is often mentioned in the organ trade debate because it is the only country in the world which has legalized the selling of kidneys since 1997. (Iranians call it “organ sharing.”) By 2006, more than 16,000 Iranians had sold a kidney. Singapore officials are now studying the Iranian model.
A live-donor registry is also being proposed in Singapore, which would facilitate the matching of donors to patients. It would also be used to monitor the health and financial conditions of donors after organ transplants. Charity groups would be tapped as well to help in the post-transplant needs of donors and their families.
The proposed live-donor registry, aside from being the first of its kind in the world, would address the common problems encountered by organ donors after transplants. A study published on the World Health Organization Web site enumerates some of these problems: In Egypt, 78 percent of donors reported deterioration in their health status; 78 percent spent the money within five months of their donation; and 73 percent reported a weakened ability to perform labor-intensive jobs. In Iran, 60 percent reported negative effects on their physical activities; and 65 percent reported negative effects on their employment status. Singapore policymakers should be guided by the disturbing results of this study.
The organ trade debate in Singapore is interesting and essential because the issue is being discussed from the point of view of an organ-importing country. In other countries like India and the Philippines, the organ trade issue is often linked to the issue of poverty. Discussions are focused on how to stop rich patients, especially foreigners, from exploiting the poor in these countries.
Singapore can discuss the issue dispassionately. It can take the lead in setting the legal, medical and ethical framework for an organ trade that respects the rights of both the organ donors and recipients. It can set an example by delineating the role of the state in ensuring that a fair, safe and rational system of organ transactions is in place.
Singapore should also not forget that the bigger issue today is not the organ trade but holistic medical care given to the poor. Prevention of kidney failure and other chronic illnesses should be a higher priority. Singapore should re-examine its healthcare budget and investigate if proper medical attention is being given to its citizens, especially the poor. As much as possible, organ transplants should be discouraged. They should be the final option for those who are sick.
http://www.upiasia.com/Society_Culture/2008/07/29/legalizing_organ_trade_in_singapore/7019
Thursday, March 26, 2009
HOTA
Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA)
By Chew, Valerie written on 2008-12-11National Library Board Singapore
Comments on article: InfopediaTalk The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) provides an opt-out organ donation system that allows for the removal of kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas from Singapore citizens and permanent residents who have died, for the sole purpose of transplantation. Administered by the Ministry of Health (MOH), it also regulates organ donation by living persons. Enacted in 1987, it has since undergone two major amendments to extend its coverage so that more people can benefit from organ transplants. In November 2008, MOH invited public feedback on a draft bill to amend HOTA once again. The bill will be tabled in parliament in early 2009.HistoryBefore HOTA was implemented, organ donation in Singapore was done only on a voluntary basis under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act, or MTERA in short. The current MTERA was enacted in 1972. It repealed a similar law that was passed by parliament in 1965, as this earlier legislation had been found to be flawed because of its ambiguities and stringent rules.However, MTERA proved inadequate to meet the transplant needs of patients suffering kidney failure due to the lack of voluntary donations. Only 22 kidney transplants were performed between 1970 and 1978, and there were none between 1979 and 1981. This prompted then Health Minister Goh Chok Tong to suggest setting up an opt-out system of obtaining cadaveric kidneys. After extensive studies and public consultation, the government introduced HOTA in 1987 to allow for the removal of kidneys from non-Muslims who die from accidental causes.The impact was significant. Between 1987 and mid-2004, 222 patients received kidney transplants under HOTA, an average of 13 per year. Since mid-2004, HOTA has been amended to widen the pool of cadaveric organ donors and thus benefit more people in need of transplants. In 2007 alone, cadaveric organs were used to perform 46 kidney transplants, 12 liver transplants, 4 heart transplants and 106 cornea transplants.Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2004(1) Inclusion of deaths resulting from non-accidental causes.(2) Inclusion of livers, hearts and corneas in cadaveric organ donations.(3) Regulation of living donor organ transplants.Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2008(1) Inclusion of Muslims.(2) Provision of enforcement powers to give MOH the authority to investigate offences under HOTA.Key Changes Under the Draft Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2009(1) Removal of the 60-year upper age limit on cadaveric organ donors.(2) Allowing donor-recipient paired matching. Put simply, this is a system whereby recipients who have medically incompatible donors exchange their donors so that each recipient receives a suitable organ. The exchange can be carried out across two or more donor-recipient pairs.(3) Compensation of living donors in accordance with international and local ethical practices.(4) Increased penalties for organ trading syndicates and middlemen.DescriptionAll Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are between 21 and 60 years old and of sound mind are automatically included under HOTA, unless they opt out. Upon their death, their organs will be removed if the following conditions are met:- they died in a hospital;- their organs are suitable for transplant; and- there are suitable recipients for the organs to be removed.People who have not opted out of HOTA will have a higher priority on the waiting list should they need an organ transplant.HOTA covers only kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas, but people may pledge to donate any of their other organs and tissues (e.g., lungs, bones and skin) upon their death, for the purpose of transplantation, education or research under MTERA. The minimum age requirement is 18 years old. Foreigners can also sign up as donors under MTERA.Besides cadaveric organ donation, HOTA regulates living donor organ transplants. In such cases, HOTA allows for the removal of a kidney or any part of the liver of a living donor for the purpose of transplantation, provided there is written authorisation from the hospital's transplant ethics committee.Timeline31 Dec 1965 : Parliament passed the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act.2 Jun 1972 : Parliament passed the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act 1972.Nov 1981 : Goh mooted the idea of introducing an opt-out plan for the removal of kidneys from cadavers for transplant. The health ministry began studying this and various other options to increase the supply of kidneys for transplant and invited views from the public.12 Jun 1982 : Symposium titled Organ Donation - Whose Responsibility? was held, where experts explained the various systems of organ donation in other countries and local doctors, lawyers and members of the public aired their views on the subject.27 Oct 1986 : First reading on the Human Organ Transplant Bill.9 Dec 1986 : Second reading on the Bill.11 Dec 1986 : A Select Committee appointed to study the Bill invited written representations from the public.Mid-Dec 1986 : Advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, which had been hired to handle the publicity for the new Bill, began its ten-month publicity campaign to explain the proposed legislation to the public. The programme included print and television advertisements, posters and pamphlets.7 Jan 1987 : Closing date for public representations.22 Apr 1987 : Select Committee's report was presented to parliament.20 May 1987 : Parliament passed the Human Organ Transplant Act 1987.16 Jul 1987 : Human Organ Transplant Act 1987 took effect. People who wished to opt out were given six months to register their objections.13 Jan - 31 Mar 2003 : Public consultation exercise on proposed amendments to widen the coverage of HOTA.15 Sep - 31 Oct 2003 : Second round of public consultation.6 Jan 2004 : Parliament passed the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2004.1 Jul 2004 : Amendments came into effect.Jul 2007 : Fatwa committee of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore issued a fatwa, a religious edict, allowing Muslims to come under HOTA.25 Aug - 5 Oct 2007 : Public consultation exercise on proposed amendments to HOTA, mainly the provision of enforcement powers to MOH and the inclusion of Muslims.21 Jan 2008 : Parliament passed the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2008.28 May 2008 : Amendment relating to the enforcement of HOTA came into effect.1 Aug 2008 : Commencement of all other amendments.1 Nov 2008 : MOH launched a new long-term public education programme with the theme "Live On" to raise public awareness and support of organ donation.14 Nov - 15 Dec 2008 : Public consultation exercise on the Draft Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2009.
By Chew, Valerie written on 2008-12-11National Library Board Singapore
Comments on article: InfopediaTalk The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) provides an opt-out organ donation system that allows for the removal of kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas from Singapore citizens and permanent residents who have died, for the sole purpose of transplantation. Administered by the Ministry of Health (MOH), it also regulates organ donation by living persons. Enacted in 1987, it has since undergone two major amendments to extend its coverage so that more people can benefit from organ transplants. In November 2008, MOH invited public feedback on a draft bill to amend HOTA once again. The bill will be tabled in parliament in early 2009.HistoryBefore HOTA was implemented, organ donation in Singapore was done only on a voluntary basis under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act, or MTERA in short. The current MTERA was enacted in 1972. It repealed a similar law that was passed by parliament in 1965, as this earlier legislation had been found to be flawed because of its ambiguities and stringent rules.However, MTERA proved inadequate to meet the transplant needs of patients suffering kidney failure due to the lack of voluntary donations. Only 22 kidney transplants were performed between 1970 and 1978, and there were none between 1979 and 1981. This prompted then Health Minister Goh Chok Tong to suggest setting up an opt-out system of obtaining cadaveric kidneys. After extensive studies and public consultation, the government introduced HOTA in 1987 to allow for the removal of kidneys from non-Muslims who die from accidental causes.The impact was significant. Between 1987 and mid-2004, 222 patients received kidney transplants under HOTA, an average of 13 per year. Since mid-2004, HOTA has been amended to widen the pool of cadaveric organ donors and thus benefit more people in need of transplants. In 2007 alone, cadaveric organs were used to perform 46 kidney transplants, 12 liver transplants, 4 heart transplants and 106 cornea transplants.Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2004(1) Inclusion of deaths resulting from non-accidental causes.(2) Inclusion of livers, hearts and corneas in cadaveric organ donations.(3) Regulation of living donor organ transplants.Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2008(1) Inclusion of Muslims.(2) Provision of enforcement powers to give MOH the authority to investigate offences under HOTA.Key Changes Under the Draft Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2009(1) Removal of the 60-year upper age limit on cadaveric organ donors.(2) Allowing donor-recipient paired matching. Put simply, this is a system whereby recipients who have medically incompatible donors exchange their donors so that each recipient receives a suitable organ. The exchange can be carried out across two or more donor-recipient pairs.(3) Compensation of living donors in accordance with international and local ethical practices.(4) Increased penalties for organ trading syndicates and middlemen.DescriptionAll Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are between 21 and 60 years old and of sound mind are automatically included under HOTA, unless they opt out. Upon their death, their organs will be removed if the following conditions are met:- they died in a hospital;- their organs are suitable for transplant; and- there are suitable recipients for the organs to be removed.People who have not opted out of HOTA will have a higher priority on the waiting list should they need an organ transplant.HOTA covers only kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas, but people may pledge to donate any of their other organs and tissues (e.g., lungs, bones and skin) upon their death, for the purpose of transplantation, education or research under MTERA. The minimum age requirement is 18 years old. Foreigners can also sign up as donors under MTERA.Besides cadaveric organ donation, HOTA regulates living donor organ transplants. In such cases, HOTA allows for the removal of a kidney or any part of the liver of a living donor for the purpose of transplantation, provided there is written authorisation from the hospital's transplant ethics committee.Timeline31 Dec 1965 : Parliament passed the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act.2 Jun 1972 : Parliament passed the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act 1972.Nov 1981 : Goh mooted the idea of introducing an opt-out plan for the removal of kidneys from cadavers for transplant. The health ministry began studying this and various other options to increase the supply of kidneys for transplant and invited views from the public.12 Jun 1982 : Symposium titled Organ Donation - Whose Responsibility? was held, where experts explained the various systems of organ donation in other countries and local doctors, lawyers and members of the public aired their views on the subject.27 Oct 1986 : First reading on the Human Organ Transplant Bill.9 Dec 1986 : Second reading on the Bill.11 Dec 1986 : A Select Committee appointed to study the Bill invited written representations from the public.Mid-Dec 1986 : Advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, which had been hired to handle the publicity for the new Bill, began its ten-month publicity campaign to explain the proposed legislation to the public. The programme included print and television advertisements, posters and pamphlets.7 Jan 1987 : Closing date for public representations.22 Apr 1987 : Select Committee's report was presented to parliament.20 May 1987 : Parliament passed the Human Organ Transplant Act 1987.16 Jul 1987 : Human Organ Transplant Act 1987 took effect. People who wished to opt out were given six months to register their objections.13 Jan - 31 Mar 2003 : Public consultation exercise on proposed amendments to widen the coverage of HOTA.15 Sep - 31 Oct 2003 : Second round of public consultation.6 Jan 2004 : Parliament passed the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2004.1 Jul 2004 : Amendments came into effect.Jul 2007 : Fatwa committee of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore issued a fatwa, a religious edict, allowing Muslims to come under HOTA.25 Aug - 5 Oct 2007 : Public consultation exercise on proposed amendments to HOTA, mainly the provision of enforcement powers to MOH and the inclusion of Muslims.21 Jan 2008 : Parliament passed the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2008.28 May 2008 : Amendment relating to the enforcement of HOTA came into effect.1 Aug 2008 : Commencement of all other amendments.1 Nov 2008 : MOH launched a new long-term public education programme with the theme "Live On" to raise public awareness and support of organ donation.14 Nov - 15 Dec 2008 : Public consultation exercise on the Draft Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2009.
Compensation for organ donors, more support for palliative care in 2009By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 27 December 2008 1553 hrs
SINGAPORE: As Singapore's population ages, end-of-life care is going to receive more attention. Also, major legislative changes are expected in the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) next year. The shady business of organ trading surfaced when Singapore retail magnate Tang Wee Sung was jailed for offering to buy a kidney. The case raised much public debate as over a thousand people in Singapore face organ failure every year. Finally in November, it was confirmed that the law would be changed to allow living donors to be compensated, making Singapore one of the first countries in the world to do so.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/398747/1/.html
Organ trading debate continues with renewed call for more living donorsBy Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 04 September 2008 2109 hrs
SINGAPORE: The middleman involved in Singapore's first illegal kidney transplant case will be sentenced on September 5. Even before the case is wrapped up, there are renewed calls for authorities here to do more to increase the number of living donors. While it may be a closed chapter for Mr Tang Wee Sung, who was jailed and fined on Wednesday in Singapore's first kidney-for-sale case, it is still an open book when it comes to the debate on organ trading in Singapore. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has said that it will not rule out legalising organ trading. In the case of renal failure, some 600 people are on a waiting list with an average waiting time of nine years before they get a transplant. It seems that the way forward is to encourage more living donors, but there are costs involved. Ameerali Abdeali, president, Singapore Muslim Kidney Action Association, said: "You really need an altruistic person to say I want to donate my kidney to save a life. For this person, there is a cost to them. Even to do a test for compatibility, there is already a cost." Ideas that authorities here may look at include having philanthropic, charitable or religious bodies funding the compensation for donors. But compensation does not have to involve money changing hands between donor and recipient. Mr Ameerali said: "I think that Singapore’s society is not ready for organ trading and certainly not developing Singapore as an organ trading hub. That.. (is) not acceptable. But there can be certain scenarios where it can be comfortable. "Take for example, one person is affluent and suffering from kidney failure and there's another man who can give him that kidney, but his mother is critically ill in hospital and needs expensive surgery. "So on this basis on quid pro quo, where no money actually exchange hands, this person pays for the medical bills and surgery bills for his donor's mother. Personally, I'm comfortable with that and I don't think that amounts to organ trading." Mr Ameerali added that with trading, there is usually a profit component. He said: "Where there are actual organ sales and the money is used by the donor (for reasons such as) starting a business, that kind of scenario is really clear-cut trading." Responding to Channel NewsAsia, MOH said moving forward, its focus is to prevent end-stage kidney failure. It added that the key is in prevention, maximising organ yield from cadaveric kidney transplants, promoting living-related transplants and public education on the Human Organ Transplant Act. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is expected to visit a village in the Philippines on the sidelines of a World Health Organisation meeting later this month. He plans to meet donors to find out what drove them to sell their organs and perhaps look at the compensation they received to understand their situation. - CNA/vm
SINGAPORE: As Singapore's population ages, end-of-life care is going to receive more attention. Also, major legislative changes are expected in the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) next year. The shady business of organ trading surfaced when Singapore retail magnate Tang Wee Sung was jailed for offering to buy a kidney. The case raised much public debate as over a thousand people in Singapore face organ failure every year. Finally in November, it was confirmed that the law would be changed to allow living donors to be compensated, making Singapore one of the first countries in the world to do so.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/398747/1/.html
Organ trading debate continues with renewed call for more living donorsBy Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 04 September 2008 2109 hrs
SINGAPORE: The middleman involved in Singapore's first illegal kidney transplant case will be sentenced on September 5. Even before the case is wrapped up, there are renewed calls for authorities here to do more to increase the number of living donors. While it may be a closed chapter for Mr Tang Wee Sung, who was jailed and fined on Wednesday in Singapore's first kidney-for-sale case, it is still an open book when it comes to the debate on organ trading in Singapore. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has said that it will not rule out legalising organ trading. In the case of renal failure, some 600 people are on a waiting list with an average waiting time of nine years before they get a transplant. It seems that the way forward is to encourage more living donors, but there are costs involved. Ameerali Abdeali, president, Singapore Muslim Kidney Action Association, said: "You really need an altruistic person to say I want to donate my kidney to save a life. For this person, there is a cost to them. Even to do a test for compatibility, there is already a cost." Ideas that authorities here may look at include having philanthropic, charitable or religious bodies funding the compensation for donors. But compensation does not have to involve money changing hands between donor and recipient. Mr Ameerali said: "I think that Singapore’s society is not ready for organ trading and certainly not developing Singapore as an organ trading hub. That.. (is) not acceptable. But there can be certain scenarios where it can be comfortable. "Take for example, one person is affluent and suffering from kidney failure and there's another man who can give him that kidney, but his mother is critically ill in hospital and needs expensive surgery. "So on this basis on quid pro quo, where no money actually exchange hands, this person pays for the medical bills and surgery bills for his donor's mother. Personally, I'm comfortable with that and I don't think that amounts to organ trading." Mr Ameerali added that with trading, there is usually a profit component. He said: "Where there are actual organ sales and the money is used by the donor (for reasons such as) starting a business, that kind of scenario is really clear-cut trading." Responding to Channel NewsAsia, MOH said moving forward, its focus is to prevent end-stage kidney failure. It added that the key is in prevention, maximising organ yield from cadaveric kidney transplants, promoting living-related transplants and public education on the Human Organ Transplant Act. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is expected to visit a village in the Philippines on the sidelines of a World Health Organisation meeting later this month. He plans to meet donors to find out what drove them to sell their organs and perhaps look at the compensation they received to understand their situation. - CNA/vm
Compensation for organ donors, more support for palliative care in 2009By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 27 December 2008 1553 hrs
SINGAPORE: As Singapore's population ages, end-of-life care is going to receive more attention. Also, major legislative changes are expected in the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) next year. The shady business of organ trading surfaced when Singapore retail magnate Tang Wee Sung was jailed for offering to buy a kidney. The case raised much public debate as over a thousand people in Singapore face organ failure every year. Finally in November, it was confirmed that the law would be changed to allow living donors to be compensated, making Singapore one of the first countries in the world to do so.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/398747/1/.html
Organ trading debate continues with renewed call for more living donorsBy Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 04 September 2008 2109 hrs
SINGAPORE: The middleman involved in Singapore's first illegal kidney transplant case will be sentenced on September 5. Even before the case is wrapped up, there are renewed calls for authorities here to do more to increase the number of living donors. While it may be a closed chapter for Mr Tang Wee Sung, who was jailed and fined on Wednesday in Singapore's first kidney-for-sale case, it is still an open book when it comes to the debate on organ trading in Singapore. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has said that it will not rule out legalising organ trading. In the case of renal failure, some 600 people are on a waiting list with an average waiting time of nine years before they get a transplant. It seems that the way forward is to encourage more living donors, but there are costs involved. Ameerali Abdeali, president, Singapore Muslim Kidney Action Association, said: "You really need an altruistic person to say I want to donate my kidney to save a life. For this person, there is a cost to them. Even to do a test for compatibility, there is already a cost." Ideas that authorities here may look at include having philanthropic, charitable or religious bodies funding the compensation for donors. But compensation does not have to involve money changing hands between donor and recipient. Mr Ameerali said: "I think that Singapore’s society is not ready for organ trading and certainly not developing Singapore as an organ trading hub. That.. (is) not acceptable. But there can be certain scenarios where it can be comfortable. "Take for example, one person is affluent and suffering from kidney failure and there's another man who can give him that kidney, but his mother is critically ill in hospital and needs expensive surgery. "So on this basis on quid pro quo, where no money actually exchange hands, this person pays for the medical bills and surgery bills for his donor's mother. Personally, I'm comfortable with that and I don't think that amounts to organ trading." Mr Ameerali added that with trading, there is usually a profit component. He said: "Where there are actual organ sales and the money is used by the donor (for reasons such as) starting a business, that kind of scenario is really clear-cut trading." Responding to Channel NewsAsia, MOH said moving forward, its focus is to prevent end-stage kidney failure. It added that the key is in prevention, maximising organ yield from cadaveric kidney transplants, promoting living-related transplants and public education on the Human Organ Transplant Act. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is expected to visit a village in the Philippines on the sidelines of a World Health Organisation meeting later this month. He plans to meet donors to find out what drove them to sell their organs and perhaps look at the compensation they received to understand their situation. - CNA/vm
SINGAPORE: As Singapore's population ages, end-of-life care is going to receive more attention. Also, major legislative changes are expected in the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) next year. The shady business of organ trading surfaced when Singapore retail magnate Tang Wee Sung was jailed for offering to buy a kidney. The case raised much public debate as over a thousand people in Singapore face organ failure every year. Finally in November, it was confirmed that the law would be changed to allow living donors to be compensated, making Singapore one of the first countries in the world to do so.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/398747/1/.html
Organ trading debate continues with renewed call for more living donorsBy Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 04 September 2008 2109 hrs
SINGAPORE: The middleman involved in Singapore's first illegal kidney transplant case will be sentenced on September 5. Even before the case is wrapped up, there are renewed calls for authorities here to do more to increase the number of living donors. While it may be a closed chapter for Mr Tang Wee Sung, who was jailed and fined on Wednesday in Singapore's first kidney-for-sale case, it is still an open book when it comes to the debate on organ trading in Singapore. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has said that it will not rule out legalising organ trading. In the case of renal failure, some 600 people are on a waiting list with an average waiting time of nine years before they get a transplant. It seems that the way forward is to encourage more living donors, but there are costs involved. Ameerali Abdeali, president, Singapore Muslim Kidney Action Association, said: "You really need an altruistic person to say I want to donate my kidney to save a life. For this person, there is a cost to them. Even to do a test for compatibility, there is already a cost." Ideas that authorities here may look at include having philanthropic, charitable or religious bodies funding the compensation for donors. But compensation does not have to involve money changing hands between donor and recipient. Mr Ameerali said: "I think that Singapore’s society is not ready for organ trading and certainly not developing Singapore as an organ trading hub. That.. (is) not acceptable. But there can be certain scenarios where it can be comfortable. "Take for example, one person is affluent and suffering from kidney failure and there's another man who can give him that kidney, but his mother is critically ill in hospital and needs expensive surgery. "So on this basis on quid pro quo, where no money actually exchange hands, this person pays for the medical bills and surgery bills for his donor's mother. Personally, I'm comfortable with that and I don't think that amounts to organ trading." Mr Ameerali added that with trading, there is usually a profit component. He said: "Where there are actual organ sales and the money is used by the donor (for reasons such as) starting a business, that kind of scenario is really clear-cut trading." Responding to Channel NewsAsia, MOH said moving forward, its focus is to prevent end-stage kidney failure. It added that the key is in prevention, maximising organ yield from cadaveric kidney transplants, promoting living-related transplants and public education on the Human Organ Transplant Act. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is expected to visit a village in the Philippines on the sidelines of a World Health Organisation meeting later this month. He plans to meet donors to find out what drove them to sell their organs and perhaps look at the compensation they received to understand their situation. - CNA/vm
Tang Wee Sung slapped with 3 charges in kidney-for-sale caseBy Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 10 July 2008 1653 hrs
SINGAPORE: CK Tang chairman Tang Wee Sung was slapped with three charges in court on Thursday for his role in the kidney-for-sale case. The first was for entering into an arrangement to buy a kidney from Sulaiman Damanik, an Indonesian. Tang was alleged to have paid his runner, Wang Chin Sing, S$300,000 for being the middleman, but the deed was discovered before the transplant could take place. The other two charges against Tang are for making a false declaration to the Commissioner of Oaths and for lying to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital's ethics committee in his oral statement. Tang is out on a S$15,000 bail. If convicted of all three charges, he could be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to three years. 26-year-old Sulaiman had served three weeks in jail, including an additional week for failing to pay a S$1,000 fine. He was released last Saturday. Another Indonesian, Toni, who had successfully sold his kidney to an Indonesian woman, Juliana Soh, is now serving a jail term of three-and-a-half months. He was fined S$2,000. Toni received about S$29,390 from Soh for his kidney. Wang, who was alleged to have facilitated the kidney-for-sale transaction, was slapped with ten charges in court on Thursday. Six of them were related to Tang's case. The 44-year-old Malaysian was said to have instigated Tang and Sulaiman to make false statutory declarations that no financial gains were involved and that Tang and Sulaiman were related. He was also alleged to have instigated them to lie to the ethics committee. The remaining four charges involved Wang receiving S$8,000 for the sale of Toni's kidney to Soh. Wang was alleged to have instigated similar false declarations to the Commissionner of Oaths and the ethics committee in this transaction. Both cases will be heard again on July 21. It is understood that more people could be implicated in the illegal deal. In fact, court documents have named another person, Whang Sung Lin, as being involved in making the arrangements to sell the kidney to Tang. Separately, the CK Tang board has written to the Singapore Exchange to say that the matter is not expected to have any material impact on its business operations.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/359473/1/.html
Tang Wee Sung "coping well" with new kidneyBy Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 29 January 2009 1818 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore retail magnate Tang Wee Sung, who underwent a kidney transplant earlier this month, has been moved out of the high-dependency ward. A family spokesman said Mr Tang's kidney is functioning well without the aid of machines. He added that Mr Tang's health is improving, and he could be discharged from the National University Hospital soon. The former executive chairman of CK Tang reportedly received his organ from former gang leader Tan Chor Jin, who was executed on January 9. Mr Tang was earlier fined and jailed, for agreeing to buy a kidney illegally, and for lying to the Commissioner of Oaths. - CNA/yt
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/405680/1/.html
Tang Wee Sung gets a transplantBy Teo Xuanwei, TODAY Posted: 10 January 2009 1035 hrs
SINGAPORE: The former head of retail empire CK Tang, Mr Tang Wee Sung, who was jailed a day for attempting to buy a kidney, finally got a transplant on Friday. A family spokesperson told Weekend TODAY that 56-year-old Mr Tang's operation at the National University Hospital (NUH), which started in the "early morning" and took "about three hours", was successful. "Mr Tang's condition is stable and he's recuperating in hospital now. His relatives are with him," the spokesperson said, without furnishing more details. When contacted, an NUH spokesperson declined to comment "in respect of patient's request and patient confidentiality". The family and hospital would not say who the donor was. According to past reports, Mr Tang — who had undergone a triple-bypass operation in October 2007 — was not eligible for a cadaveric kidney because of his many ailments, such as heart problems, asthma, sleep apnoea, depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA), a living donor has to appear before a Transplant Ethics Committee (TEC) before a transplant can proceed. Among other things, the TEC has to determine that donor and recipient share a strong emotional relationship, if not blood ties, before granting authorisation. The ailing magnate, who had been suffering from end-stage renal failure and pops more than 50 pills daily, had said in past media interviews that he might get a kidney in Beijing, where he has relatives, or in the United States. Doctors had also reportedly told him that he had one to two years to live without a transplant. Kidney patients here usually have to wait nine years on average for a transplant. Mr Tang, a bachelor, was fined $17,000 and jailed for one day in September for attempting to buy a kidney from Indonesian Sulaiman Damanik. He was prepared to pay $300,000 to see the deal through. Mr Sulaiman, 26, had agreed to sell his kidney for about 150 million rupiah and had lied to a TEC that his aunt was married to Mr Tang's niece's brother-in-law. Upon his conviction, Mr Tang stepped down as executive chairman of CK Tang. The organ-trading saga sparked off widespread discussions. The Health Ministry subsequently released a consultation paper last November on proposed changes to HOTA which would entail, among other things, heavier punishments for organ trading syndicates and middlemen. The debate is also ongoing over a possible legal compensation scheme for organ donors.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/401501/1/.html
SINGAPORE: CK Tang chairman Tang Wee Sung was slapped with three charges in court on Thursday for his role in the kidney-for-sale case. The first was for entering into an arrangement to buy a kidney from Sulaiman Damanik, an Indonesian. Tang was alleged to have paid his runner, Wang Chin Sing, S$300,000 for being the middleman, but the deed was discovered before the transplant could take place. The other two charges against Tang are for making a false declaration to the Commissioner of Oaths and for lying to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital's ethics committee in his oral statement. Tang is out on a S$15,000 bail. If convicted of all three charges, he could be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to three years. 26-year-old Sulaiman had served three weeks in jail, including an additional week for failing to pay a S$1,000 fine. He was released last Saturday. Another Indonesian, Toni, who had successfully sold his kidney to an Indonesian woman, Juliana Soh, is now serving a jail term of three-and-a-half months. He was fined S$2,000. Toni received about S$29,390 from Soh for his kidney. Wang, who was alleged to have facilitated the kidney-for-sale transaction, was slapped with ten charges in court on Thursday. Six of them were related to Tang's case. The 44-year-old Malaysian was said to have instigated Tang and Sulaiman to make false statutory declarations that no financial gains were involved and that Tang and Sulaiman were related. He was also alleged to have instigated them to lie to the ethics committee. The remaining four charges involved Wang receiving S$8,000 for the sale of Toni's kidney to Soh. Wang was alleged to have instigated similar false declarations to the Commissionner of Oaths and the ethics committee in this transaction. Both cases will be heard again on July 21. It is understood that more people could be implicated in the illegal deal. In fact, court documents have named another person, Whang Sung Lin, as being involved in making the arrangements to sell the kidney to Tang. Separately, the CK Tang board has written to the Singapore Exchange to say that the matter is not expected to have any material impact on its business operations.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/359473/1/.html
Tang Wee Sung "coping well" with new kidneyBy Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 29 January 2009 1818 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore retail magnate Tang Wee Sung, who underwent a kidney transplant earlier this month, has been moved out of the high-dependency ward. A family spokesman said Mr Tang's kidney is functioning well without the aid of machines. He added that Mr Tang's health is improving, and he could be discharged from the National University Hospital soon. The former executive chairman of CK Tang reportedly received his organ from former gang leader Tan Chor Jin, who was executed on January 9. Mr Tang was earlier fined and jailed, for agreeing to buy a kidney illegally, and for lying to the Commissioner of Oaths. - CNA/yt
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/405680/1/.html
Tang Wee Sung gets a transplantBy Teo Xuanwei, TODAY Posted: 10 January 2009 1035 hrs
SINGAPORE: The former head of retail empire CK Tang, Mr Tang Wee Sung, who was jailed a day for attempting to buy a kidney, finally got a transplant on Friday. A family spokesperson told Weekend TODAY that 56-year-old Mr Tang's operation at the National University Hospital (NUH), which started in the "early morning" and took "about three hours", was successful. "Mr Tang's condition is stable and he's recuperating in hospital now. His relatives are with him," the spokesperson said, without furnishing more details. When contacted, an NUH spokesperson declined to comment "in respect of patient's request and patient confidentiality". The family and hospital would not say who the donor was. According to past reports, Mr Tang — who had undergone a triple-bypass operation in October 2007 — was not eligible for a cadaveric kidney because of his many ailments, such as heart problems, asthma, sleep apnoea, depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA), a living donor has to appear before a Transplant Ethics Committee (TEC) before a transplant can proceed. Among other things, the TEC has to determine that donor and recipient share a strong emotional relationship, if not blood ties, before granting authorisation. The ailing magnate, who had been suffering from end-stage renal failure and pops more than 50 pills daily, had said in past media interviews that he might get a kidney in Beijing, where he has relatives, or in the United States. Doctors had also reportedly told him that he had one to two years to live without a transplant. Kidney patients here usually have to wait nine years on average for a transplant. Mr Tang, a bachelor, was fined $17,000 and jailed for one day in September for attempting to buy a kidney from Indonesian Sulaiman Damanik. He was prepared to pay $300,000 to see the deal through. Mr Sulaiman, 26, had agreed to sell his kidney for about 150 million rupiah and had lied to a TEC that his aunt was married to Mr Tang's niece's brother-in-law. Upon his conviction, Mr Tang stepped down as executive chairman of CK Tang. The organ-trading saga sparked off widespread discussions. The Health Ministry subsequently released a consultation paper last November on proposed changes to HOTA which would entail, among other things, heavier punishments for organ trading syndicates and middlemen. The debate is also ongoing over a possible legal compensation scheme for organ donors.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/401501/1/.html
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