Govt approves amendments to Organs Transplantation Act

The Government today approved amendments to the Organs Transplantation Act in order to make the process more transparent and ensure imposition of stringent penalties for violation of the Act.

"Cabinet has approved the proposals of the ministry of health and family welfare to amend the provisions of the Act and also for imposing stringent penalties on persons or hospitals violating the provisions," Union information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni told reporters here.

Despite putting in place a regulatory mechanism for transplantation of human organs, there have been reports about thriving human organ trade in India and the consequential exploitation of economically weaker sections of society, she said.

Therefore, there has been an increasing perception in civil society that while the Act has not been effective in curbing commercial transactions in organ transplant, it has thwarted genuine cases due to the complicated and long drawn process involving organ donation, Soni said after a meeting of the Union Cabinet.

The transplantation of the Human Organs Act, 1994 was enacted by Parliament in 1994 and came in to force on February 4, 1995 in the State of Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Thereafter, it was adopted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir.