Vietnam scraps child organ donors proposal after backlash

HANOI: Vietnam withdrew on Monday (Nov 2) a proposal allowing children aged 15 to 17 to donate their organs after death following public criticism in a country where deceased donor transplants remain limited.

The Southeast Asian country began kidney transplants in 1992 and performs the most annual transplants in the region, according to state media.

However, the vast majority of transplants in Vietnam rely on living donors. Transplants in many other nations mostly use organs from deceased donors, expanding their donor pool.

Officials in Vietnam say they are seeking to update a 2006 law on organ and tissue donation, aiming to increase life-saving transplants while safeguarding donors.

A draft submitted to the National Assembly last month proposed allowing 15- to 17-year-olds to donate their tissues, organs or bodies after death, provided the child's parent or legal representative consented.

But, after online backlash, officials removed the under-18 donor provision from a revised draft dated Sunday, with the government saying it had accepted recommendations from lawmakers that only legal adults should be permitted to donate their organs.

Dissent is heavily restricted in communist Vietnam, but opposition centred on whether parental consent could adequately protect child donors from pressure or exploitation.

Criticism also focused on a survey of schoolchildren as young as seven conducted in October to gather feedback on the draft law.

The poll prompted questions about whether minors could understand complex medical, legal and ethical issues, state outlet Tuoi Tre News said.

It said "the provision allowing minors to register as posthumous organ donors prompted considerable controversy and differing opinions among the public".

"Taking these concerns into account, the government has revised the draft," stipulating that only people aged 18 or older may donate their organs, Tuoi Tre said.

National Assembly deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan urged lawmakers last month to oppose allowing child organ donors, saying: "You cannot sacrifice one child to save another."

One Threads user posted on Monday: "The power of public scrutiny has paid off. It is a relief to see this draft proposal rejected."

The newly revised draft still allows living minors to donate regenerative tissue, for bone marrow or stem cell transplants, to family members when no suitable adult donor is available.

The procedure would require health assessments, counselling and consent from both the child and their legal representative.