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<p>We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal
may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups
are being specifically targeted. The UK government fully supports the Declaration
of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional
frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.</p><p>As the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office Minister for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, stated
in a Westminster Hall debate in October 2016: “Although I do not doubt the need to
maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the
evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic
harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available
to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of “organ harvesting” is definitely happening
in China.”</p><p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ
donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical,
voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although
the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.</p><p>We continue to review
any new evidence that is presented to us.</p>
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