Organ Trafficking: Current Trends and Policy Challenges

Hearing
Date:
Location:
2118 Rayburn House Office Building

Announcement

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a briefing on the growing trend in the global trafficking of human organs.

The trade in human organs is flourishing, having reached unthinkable levels in recent years due to widespread poverty and a lack of governmental and international response sufficient to address the problem. Trafficking in organs is an organized crime which is often committed by inducing consent, engaging in coercion, or committing outright theft. The offense often involves a host of offenders, including traffickers, doctors, hospitals, brokers, and knowing recipients. Victims most commonly belong to traditionally vulnerable populations, including women and children, the poor, homeless persons, migrant workers, and prisoners. Victims are often afraid to report the abuse due to a lack of knowledge about their rights, and out of fear they could be punished by their abusers or by law enforcement. As a result, many victims continue to suffer long after the initial abuse, due to a lack of proper medical care and out of shame over what was done to them.

This briefing will explore trends in organ trafficking and possible ways to combat the organ trade. Panelists will provide an overview of the issue; discuss recent findings about trafficking in Egypt, India, and Bangladesh; assess legal issues and other challenges in combating organ trafficking; and offer policy recommendations.

If you have any questions, please contact Colleen Costello (Rep. McGovern) or Kalinda Stephenson (Rep. Wolf) at 202-225-3599, or send an email to tlhrc@mail.house.gov.

Hosted by:

James P. McGovern
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC
Frank R. Wolf
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC
Witnesses

Panelists

  • Dr. Debra Budiani-Saberi, Executive Director and Founder of the Coalition for Organ-Failure Solutions, and Visiting Research Associate, Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania
    Written statement
    Presentation
  • Dr. Francis Delmonico, Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, President-elect of The Transplantation Society, and Advisor to the World Health Organization
    Presentation
  • Dr. Monir Moniruzzaman, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology and the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, Michigan State University
    Written statement
    ​Presentation

Contact The Commission

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
4150 O'Neill House Office Building
200 C Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20515
United States of America

Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
TLHRC@mail.house.gov

Accessibility

The Commission seeks to make its events, meetings and hearings accessible to persons with disabilities.

If you are in need of special accommodations, please call (202) 225-3599 at least four business days in advance.

Questions with regard to special accommodations in general (including availability of Commission materials in alternative formats and assistive listening devices, sign language interpretation, etc.) may be directed to the Commission.

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