Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting
Promoting Ethical Practices in Medicine
DAFOH's letter of request to the International Olympic Committee on January 1, 2008.
Background: Chinese officials have indicated to exclude Falun Gong from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. - This move carries a pattern of discrimination against Falun Gong, which is violating the Olympic Charter. In order to conform to the Olympic Charter DAFOH requests the IOC to urge the Chinese government to allow safe access of Falun Gong at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
DAFOH's view: Ending the discrimination against Falun Gong would contribute in terminating organ harvesting from this targeted group.On July 1, 2008, DAFOH initiates a petition to the Chinese Ministry of Health asking for explanation of the transplantation figures in China. DAFOH holds the view that transparent transplant statistics are standard worldwide.
On June 18, 2008, spokesman Dr. Damon Noto presented DAFOH's concerns about forced organ harvesting in China in the Bronxnet TV.
On June 12, 2008, Dr. Gerry Koffman, DAFOH's coordinator in Canada, has received the Peter R. Newman Humanitarian Award by the Medical Staff Association at the North York General Hospital. - The annual award recognizes an exemplary commitment to the welfare of individuals and the community. This year the Award Committee has awarded the prize to Dr. Koffman in recognition of his dedication to inform the medical community as well as patients about unethical practices of forced organ harvesting in China.
The Medical Post, major medical journal in Canada, has published a special report about organ trade in their March 11, 2008 edition. Dr. Gerry Koffman, DAFOH's representative in Canada, expressed his view in an interview with Celia Milne. Dr. Jacob Lavee, member of DAFOH's Advisory Board, explained some characteristics of the new transplantation law in Israel in the same report.
DAFOH has been invited to the press conference of EU Vice-President Edward McMillan-Scott at the EU Parliament London Office on February 12, 2008. The subject, “EU has teeth but no bite on
China”, was related to the Olympic Games 2008. - DAFOH's press statement has addressed concerns about unethical organ procurement practices in China and discrimination against Falun Gong at the Olympic Games. In particular the continuous exclusion of Falun Gong from the Olympic Games bears the risk that the dehumanization of Falun Gong practitioners will continue and with it the forced organ harvesting. DAFOH has been invited to speak at the Health and Human Rights Conference at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, on October 27, 2007.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced it will prohibit Chinese transplant surgeons from visiting Taiwan. This is in response to Chinese doctors soliciting business of organ transplants from Taiwanese patients.
DAFOH writes an open letter to the WMA regarding the recent agreement with the CMA at the WMA General Assembly in Copenhagen
- The WMA urges China to change organ transplant practices -
Although Chinese medical officials agreed at the General Assembly of the WMA in Copenhagen not to transplant organs from prisoners - except into members of their immediate families, DAFOH raises concerns if this agreement is sufficient and sent a letter to the WMA. In addition independent statements indicate that the name of some inmates has been changed in various cases. This practice could be misused in order to suffice this exception. - Although the People's Republic of China has taken steps to reduce the number of transplant centers in the country, this adjustment didn't address the allegations suggested by the Kilgour & Matas Report. The latter mainly raises concerns about the organ procurement and not the use of organs for transplantation. A change in the number of transplant centers does not reflect a change in the source of organs. Therefore DAFOH remains concerned about the source of organs and suggests an independent investigation under the lead of David Kilgour and David Matas.
- DAFOH introduced its Advisory Board on August 19, 2007. The Advisory Board serves as independent entity and provides advice to DAFOH.
- Letter to the Ottawa Citizen regarding Former MP pushes for Beijing Games boycott, Kilgour spearheads drive against ‘Bloody Harvest Olympics, Aug. 9, published August 11, 2007.
DAFOH states that the Olympic Games cannot go along with crimes against humanity. One of these two variables should stop, preferably the unethical forms of organ harvesting from living people, otherwise a boycott of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing should come into effect. - In March 2007 Dr. Tom Treasure publishes his article "The Falun Gong, organ transplantation, the holocaust and ourselves" in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The article addresses ethical responsibilities of the medical profession.
