The government says it will ban all private transplants of organs from dead donors in the UK. The move comes after media reports of overseas patients paying to get onto the waiting list for organs donated by British people. An independent report said organs were scarce and no one should be able to pay for transplants, to ensure NHS patients did not miss out. Surgeons said it should reassure people organs went to those in most need.
The Emerging Science and Bioethics Advisory Committee (ESBAC) was the main UK advisory body on emerging healthcare scientific developments and their ethical, legal, social and economic implications. It was sponsored by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Department of Health (DH), England. Its membership included representation from all UK Health Departments for whom ESBAC also provided advice. ESBAC also provided a forum to consider and develop coordinated advice across the wider science, health and academic communities to help set priorities in response to new developments.