Table 3. Development Progression of legislation/policies against TT before 2000, during 2000-2010, and after 2010

Year Organization/Nation Document Impact on OT/TT
Legislation against TT before 2000
1979 Turkey Law no 2238 on the Harvesting, Storage, Grafting, and Transplantation of Organs and Tissues [28] Forbidding buying and selling and all advertisement in connection with the harvesting and donation of organs and tissues and require penalty.
1991 WHO WHA44.25 Resolution [45] Protection to minors and other vulnerable persons from coercion and improper exploitation to donate organs
Legislation against TT during 2000-2010
2004 WHO WHA57.18 Resolution [46] Measures to protect the poorest and most vulnerable groups from “TT”
2005 Council of Europe CETS No. 197 [47] Action against trafficking of human organs
2006 World Medical Association Resolution [48] Demand China to stop using prisoners as organ donors
20082018 Transplantation Society and the International Society of Nephrology Istanbul declaration [49] Define TTCall to bring TT to an end
Legislation of leading nations/organizations against TT and organ harvesting in China during 2010 - 2016
February 2014 United States Resolution HR0730 of the State of Illinois [50] Condemning Forced Organ Harvesting, urge the government to bring an end to the revolting practice of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners for transplants
October 2014 Resolution No.1052 of Pennsylvania State [51] Calling upon the People’s Republic of China to immediately end the practice of forced organ harvesting
2015 Council of Europe Treaty series – No.216 [49] Action against trafficking of human organs
2016 European Parliament Rule 136 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure [49] End organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China
2016 World Medical Association Repeated Resolution [48] Demand China to stop using prisoners as organ donors
2016 United States Resolution 343 of US House of Representatives[52] Expressing concern regarding organ harvesting in the People’s Republic of China
Legislation/policies against TT/organ harvesting in China by other nations from 2006 - now
2006 Australia Australian Health Ministry [53] Abolition of training programs for Chinese doctors in organ transplant technique Banning joint research programs with China on organ transplant.
2008 Israel Israel Organ Transplant Act [11] Prohibit reimbursement. Three years’ imprisonment and a large fine for the purchase, sale, or brokerage of an organ
2009 Spain The New Criminal Code [11] Consider the illegal trafficking of human organs as a felony
2010 The New Criminal Code, Article 156 bis [11] Impose penalties for participants of organ trafficking with imprisonment from six to twelve years
2012 Malaysia Ministry of Health [31] Prohibit reimbursement to TT patients
2015 Taiwan The Human Organ Transplantation Act [11] Fine and imprisonment of 1 to 5 years for involvement in brokering organs or organ tourism Doctors who engage in organ brokerage will have their licenses revoked
2015 Italy Senate Bill [11] 3 to 12 years’ imprisonment and a fine between 50,000 and 300,000 euros Doctors who promote or facilitate illegal organ tourism would face lifetime disqualification
2016 Law No. 2937 [11] Ban organ trafficking in November 2016
2017 Norway The Norwegian law of June 16th 2017 nr. 54[10] Prevent and combat trade with human organs Increased penalties for breach of the provisions in legislation
2019 Belgium Amendment to the Belgian Penal Code [46] Imprison up to 10 years and a fine of up to 75,000 EUR for anyone who forcedly takes an organ from a person
WHO = World Health Organization, TT = transplant tourism, OT = Oversea Transplantation, WMA: World Medical Association