China to stop donating organs of executed prisoners

China to stop donating organs of executed prisoners
(Image credit: iStock)

On Jan. 1., China will stop the practice of transplanting the organs of executed prisoners, state media reported Thursday.

For years, human rights activists have said there are no safeguards in place and prisoners might be pressured to donate, The Associated Press reports. China has a very low organ donation rate, just 0.6 per 1 million citizens, the Southern Metropolitan Daily newspaper said, as there isn't much support culturally and a person's family members must give consent for the donation, even if the person agreed while still alive.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.