Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-05-18-Speech-2-342"
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"en.20100518.31.2-342"2
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"I am delighted to have this unique opportunity to appear before you today and to talk about the progress we have achieved in the negotiations in Parliament, and also in the subsequent trialogue on this very important topic of organ donations and transplants.
The second principle includes traceability, protection of personal data and confidentiality. Member States must ensure that all organs which are taken, allocated and transplanted on their territory can be traced from the donor to the recipient and back again. This concept has replaced the original proposal for anonymity, which is inimical to the safety of the process. Personal data must remain confidential.
The third principle is the framework for quality and safety. We expressed clear agreement that Member States should set up a national framework which will set out all stages of the process organisationally, from donation to transplantation. The Member States will subsequently inform the Commission about the activities and results achieved in the context of fulfilling this regulation within three years of it entering into effect. Here, we are expecting great progress, especially in the case of countries where the system is not sufficiently well developed and which may significantly increase the number of transplants through the adoption of appropriate systemic measures.
I would especially like to underline the role of the transplant coordinator or coordination team, the importance of which is beyond question. It has proved its worth in many countries where operations run smoothly.
I would like to end by mentioning criteria such as the organisation and performance of collections, the specification of roles for competent authorities, the involvement of third countries, the swapping of organs with third countries and the safety of the process. We approved the so-called delegated acts under provisions based on the Treaty of Lisbon (I will finish shortly).
Finally, I would like to emphasise how hugely important it is to increase public awareness, and I would therefore like to call on the Commission to encourage the Member States to promote organ donation via special programmes. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the successful course of the negotiations, and especially to applaud the efficient and constructive approach of the Spanish Presidency.
I personally consider this bill to be enormously important, not only as the chief rapporteur, but also as a doctor. I firmly believe that this new directive fundamentally addresses the greatest challenge we currently face in the process of organ donations and transplants, which is the shortage of organs faced by patients who are waiting for them.
In the context of providing the best health protection for European Union citizens, our goal is to ensure that human organs designated for transplantation are safe and of a high quality.
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety voted on the draft report on 16 March, when it was adopted by a clear majority in the context of the rapporteur’s recommendations. Subsequently, we completed three intensive interinstitutional trialogues involving Parliament, the Commission and the Council, under the leadership of the Spanish Presidency.
I would especially like to highlight the following points, which were key to our discussion.
First, the principles applying to organ donation.
Voluntary and payment-free donation is a fundamental principle which must not be challenged in any way or under any circumstances. The altruistic nature of donation must be preserved so that we can prevent any form of commercialisation or financial motivation of donors. At the same time, the greatest possible protection must be ensured for living donors. Here, I would like to mention the lively discussion provoked by the topic of organ donation by living donors. On the one hand, this method remains complementary to the acquisition of organs from dead donors but, on the other, it is an alternative with remarkable potential.
Of course, it is not our intention to prevent progress in this area, but we must ensure that the donation of organs by living donors who do not have a genetic or family connection with the recipient is always voluntary and payment free. The principle of non-payment does not apply to cases of so-called compensation, where a living donor may receive a contribution in line with the expenditure related to donation. However, Member States must precisely define the conditions under which such contributions can be made, so that we can avoid any kind of financial incentive or profit for potential donors.
Other important matters in the context of principles include allocation criteria – ensuring that organs are not taken from a person before the legal acknowledgement of death, and the fully-informed consent of the donor. We defended these in the introductory parts of the provision known as the recitals."@en1
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