Seán Columb in The Guardian:
It is illegal to buy or sell an organ anywhere in the world, with the exception of Iran. Nevertheless, estimates suggest that around 10% of organs for transplantation come from illegal sources. Most cases, however, go unreported, so the true number is likely to be much higher.
Several countries, including Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Turkey, the Philippines and China, have been identified as centres of organ trafficking, but the trade in organs is a transnational operation. In its 2018 Global Report for Trafficking in Persons, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime identified more than 700 cases of organ trafficking, the majority in the Middle East and north Africa. A 2021 Interpol report claimed that organ trafficking was of particular concern in north and west Africa, “where impoverished communities and displaced populations are at greater risk of exploitation”.
According to the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT), only 10% of the global demand for transplants is met each year.
More here.
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