The declaration of Istanbul on organ trafficking and transplant tourism

Organ transplantation, one of the medical mi­racles of the twentieth century, has prolonged and improved the lives of hundreds of thou­sands of patients worldwide. The many great scientific and clinical advances of dedicated health professionals, as well as countless acts of generosity by organ donors and their families, have made transplantation not only a life-saving therapy but a shining symbol of human solida­rity. Yet these accomplishments have been tar­nished by numerous reports of trafficking in human beings who are used as sources of organs and of patient-tourists from rich coun­tries who travel abroad to purchase organs from poor people.