Organs of 9 donors transplanted

Shanghai hospitals have transplanted the organs of nine people who volunteered to donate their organs through a pilot program that began in December 2012, local media reported.

So far, nine livers and 15 kidneys have been transplanted, saving 24 lives in the city, according to a report in the Shanghai Morning Post. The 24 recipients included two teenagers, who were both in stable condition after their transplants.

So far, about 2,300 people in Shanghai have signed up to be voluntary organ donors, meaning they are willing to have their undamaged organs harvested when they die, the report said.

That figure accounts for about 10 percent of the total number of registered organ donors nationwide.

Still, there have been only a few cases in which a patient has received an organ from a registered donor. People who donate organs to family members are not counted as registered organ donors.

Although meeting the demand for organ transplants remains a problem worldwide, it is more acute in China because of the country's large population and large number of patients, said Liu Changqiu, an academic who studies organ donation at the Institute of Law at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

At the same time, there is a longstanding cultural barrier to organ donation in China. "The traditional Chinese value of filial devotion requires one to avoid harming or damaging the body because it is a gift from one's parents, so many people are unwilling to donate body parts, even after they die," Liu told the Global Times.

Another problem is timing, Liu said. "Many people agree to donate their organs when they die, but many are still young and won't die for another 40 or 50 years," Liu said.

Shanghai plans to set up an organization to obtain organs for transplant with the help of neurologists, surgeons and coordinators. The organization is part of a working plan for organ donation, which is expected to be issued soon, the report said.

Liu suggested that the city should set up a public database that includes patient and donor information so that the supply and demand of organs can be made public. "A transparent and detailed database could ensure that those who most need an organ can get a transplant immediately," Liu said.