Recently, many young people have asked LawNet for assistance on the procedure to register for organ donation after death. This is a very noble and humane gesture, not only showing deep human values but also showing the spirit of mutual affection of today's youth of Vietnam.
Article table of contents
1. Are donors required the consent of their families?
According to Article 4 of the Law on donation, removal and transplantation of human tissues and organs and donation and recovery of cadavers 2006 of Vietnam, voluntariness of donors and transplant recipients is one of the principles in the donation, removal and transplantation of human tissues and organs and the donation and recovery of cadavers.
Concurrently, according to Article 5 of the Law on donation, removal and transplantation of human tissues and organs and donation and recovery of cadavers 2006 of Vietnam, people who are full eighteen years or older and have full civil act capacity are entitled to donate human tissues and organs when they are living or after their death and to donate their cadavers.
This is for humanitarian purposes, medical treatment, lecturing or scientific research and for non-commercial purposes. Those who wish to donate organ tissue after registering with a medical facility will be issued with a tissue and organ donation registration card.
Thus, it can be seen that as long as an individual is at least 18 years old, has full civil act capacity, and is completely voluntary, he/she has the right to donate human tissues and organs while still alive, after death or body donation. Therefore, people who are over 18 years old and have full civil act capacity are free to decide for themselves whether to register to donate organs or not.
2. Procedures for registration of donation of deceased donor tissues and organs
Persons who meet all conditions mentioned above are entitled to express their wish to donate their tissues or organs after their death to a medical establishment and fill in the form of registration of donation of deceased donor tissues and organs issued by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.
When receiving information from a person who wishes to donate his/her tissues or organs after his/her death, a medical establishment shall notify the National Coordination Center for Human Organ Transplantation. The National Coordination Center for Human Organ Transplantation shall notify a medical establishment defined in Article 16 of the Law on donation, removal and transplantation of human tissues and organs and donation and recovery of cadavers 2006 of Vietnam for carrying out donation registration procedures for the donor.
When receiving the notice of the National Coordination Center for Human Organ Transplantation, a medical establishment defined in Article 16 of this Law shall:
- Directly meet the donor to give counseling on human tissue and organ transplantation and removal;
- Instruct the donation registration according to a set form; conduct a health check of the donor;
- Issue a card of registration of donation of deceased donor tissues and organs to the donor;
- Report the list of registered donors who have been granted a card of donation of deceased donor tissues and organs to the National Coordination Center for Human Organ Transplantation.
Registration of donation of deceased donor tissues or organs becomes effective on the date the registrant is issued a donation registration card.
In addition to contacting the nearest medical facility, people who wish to donate tissues and organs after death can also register to donate organs with the National Coordination Center for Human Organ Transplantation through its website at http://vhot.vn.
People in two big cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, can also register to donate organs directly at 2 following locations:
- In Hanoi, people go to the National Coordination Center for Human Organ Transplantation under the Ministry of Health of Vietnam located at Viet Duc Hospital (40 Trang Thi, Hanoi) from Monday to Friday every week to register;
- In Ho Chi Minh City, people register directly at the Human Organ Transplantation Coordination Unit at Cho Ray Hospital (No. 201B Nguyen Chi Thanh Street) from Monday to Friday. If you live far away, you can contact by phone for instructions on how to send an application for tissue and organ donation by post.
Currently, every day, every hour, there are many patients waiting for tissue and organ transplants to save their lives. Therefore, registering to donate tissues and organs is to give the opportunity to bring life to thousands of patients.
Duc Thao
