Press Releases

SFH on organ transplant

Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, at a media session at the Legislative Council today (April 13):

Reporter: (About the age of potential donors.)

Secretary for Food and Health: The Human Organ Transplant Ordinance has defined the minimum age of a potential living donor to be 18. The law has not given discretionary power to any clinical team or the Human Organ Transplant Board. It is entirely understandable in doing so because the law needs to protect the minors. But we also note that internationally there is no hard and fast rule to draw a line on the minimum age of donors, and even the judgement of a particular society on the minimum age of donation could be changing from time to time. The Government considers that it is the right time to amend the existing Human Organ Transplant Ordinance so as to build in certain flexibility to allow discretion of the Board in considering whether a person could be a donor, based on the assessment of clinical and psychological suitability, as well as physical condition.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Thursday, April 13, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:42
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