Doha

The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) shall honour organ, tissue or cell donors with the ‘Altruism Medal’ for their selfless act, according to Law No. 15 of 2015 regulating the transplant of human organs, issued on Wednesday by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
The law, which provides stipulations for the transplant of human organs, cells and tissues and governs them through 22 articles, also lays down that a deceased donor is to be honoured with medals, presented to the legal heirs.
Article 3 of the law bans the transplant of sexual organs, any part of them or their cells or tissues from a living or dead donor in a way that may lead to a mix up of lineages.
According to Article 4 it is forbidden to transplant any organ, cells or tissues from a living person to another living person unless it is essential to save the life of the recipient or for a treatment necessity. Such a transplant should be the only way to save the life of the recipient. Further, it should not put the life of the donor at risk.
Organs can be extracted for medical or scientific purposes only from a corpse. In all cases, transplant operations shall be undertaken only by specialist surgeons after conducting necessary medical check-ups and obtaining the approval of the Medical Ethics Committee.
Every person is free to donate or recommend the donation of an organ, through a written affidavit signed by two witnesses. However, the donor can at any time go back on his or her decision unconditionally.
Organ donation cannot be accepted from children or minors even with the approval of their parents or guardians. The same stipulation also applies in the case of those who are not mentally sound. There should not be any trade in human organs, tissues or cells.
Each hospital authorised to conduct human transplant operations shall form a Medical Ethics Committee by a decision from the Minister of Public Health. The committee shall comprise three specialist physicians other than the hospital owners or stakeholders, in addition to an independent legal member.
The donors or their relatives are to be granted medical treatment, and insurance privileges specified by a decision of the Minister of Public Health.
The law also provides for strict penalties for the violation of any of its articles with imprisonment up to 10 years or a fine of QR1mn or both. The establishments which facilitate such violations can be closed by a court order for not less than two months and no more than one year. A ban of up to three years from practising the profession could be imposed on the violator. The law has come into effect and shall be published in the official gazette.

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