Bulacan bishop lauds DoH ban on kidney transplants
By Jeannette Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 18:01:00 04/30/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- A Roman Catholic bishop on Wednesday expressed optimism that the total ban on kidney transplants for foreign patients announced by the Department of Health (DoH) would end the “immoral” sale of internal organs in the country.
Malolos, Bulacan Bishop Jose Oliveros, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Office on Bioethics, in an interview aired over Church-run Radio Veritas, called the ban a “good move” to “eventually end the commercialism of body parts.”
“That’s a good first step to really stop the sale,” Oliveros remarked.
“I think they [DoH] are just trying to stop the trade, the buying and selling of body parts and internal organs, like kidneys, where mostly foreigners are involved. That is the reason why foreigners come here, because we have available kidneys here. Unfortunately, they are not donations nor are they freely given but they are for sale,” Oliveros pointed out.
The bishop suggested that the DoH may have taken considered the CBCP’s statement in January branding trading in body parts as immoral.
“It is good that they listened,” he said.
“We say that it [sale of internal organs] is immoral because it becomes a form of commerce. We are only allowed to donate, where we freely give a part of our body in order to help those who are in need,” he explained.
The prelate likened the voluntary donation of body parts to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who gave his life to save mankind, citing the late Pope John Paul II’s view on the matter.
“It is truly and altruistic act but if we sell…[internal organs] its nature becomes different. It becomes selfish and there comes commercial interest,” Olivares said.
“So if they sell their body parts, this is like Judas selling the Lord’s body to be punished by those who disliked Him. So selling takes on this nature. It becomes immoral because it is a selfish act out of a selfish interest,” the bishop concluded.
The DoH on Tuesday announced the total ban on kidney transplants on foreigners from local living non-related donors in a move to dismantle the black market which thrives on poor communities in the country.
The department likewise reiterated that organ transplants are not part of the country’s medical tourism industry.
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