The Declaration of Istanbul--early impact and future potential

The Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism was adopted at an international meeting held in 2008. The Declaration has been published globally and consists of a preamble, a set of principles and a series of proposals to improve the ethics and expand the benefits of the international organ transplantation endeavor. To promote and monitor the implementation of the Declaration, a Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG) has been created. The DICG has provided support for official efforts to ban the sale of organs, restrict transplant tourism and prosecute those who persist in violating the law. Substantial progress has been made thus far in countries that have been the source of transplant tourists and in countries that have been the source of donor organs for trafficking. In China, however, the use of organs from executed prisoners for transplantation purposes continues despite widespread condemnation of this practice.