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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 British 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>Reports
by authors such as Kilgour, Gutmann and Matas are important sources of information
about China’s organ transplant system. They rightly question the lack of transparency
in China’s organ transplant system, whilst acknowledging that it is very difficult
to identify the source of those organs and verify the number of organ transplants
conducted in China. However we do not agree with the claims of systematic organ harvesting
of prisoners of conscience, assessing that the evidence they present does not substantiate
such a claim.</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
available evidence on this issue.</p>
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