DICG activities at the TTS congress in Hong Kong
A Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG) council meeting took place during The Transplant Society (TTS) congress in Hong Kong, with several Council members participating in person or via Skype.
Key topics of discussion were plans for a 10th Anniversary meeting in 2018; potential projects of work for the DICG and methods of fundraising to support DICG work; and plans to systematically collect up-to-date information about organ trafficking and transplant tourism from all countries and regions in the lead-up to the 10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Istanbul.
In the coming months, DICG members may be called upon to assist in the collection or provision of information at the national or regional level. As always, all members are encouraged to contact the DICG Executive with information about trafficking or tourism activities, opportunities for DICG to support local work to address issues, and feedback or suggestions regarding DICG work. Members wishing to assist with particular activities or with information about fundraising opportunities are also encouraged to get in touch via media@declarationofistanbul.org.
A number of DICG-related sessions were held at the recent Congress. A State-of-the-Art Session, “Towards the 10th Anniversary of the DoI – policy and guidance”, featured a report from DICG Co-chair Beatriz Dominguez-Gil on behalf of Senior Advisor Francis Delmonico on successes and failures during the last eight years; a review from Marta Lopez Fraga of the Council of Europe’s Convention Against Trafficking in Human Organs; and a discussion of proper travel for transplantation compared with transplant “tourism” from DICG Co-chair Elmi Muller based on the recent DICG Workshop held in Madrid. An Early Morning Symposium on the principle of financial neutrality featured talks from DICG board members Dominique Martin, Alexander Capron, and John Gill, about the application of this principle in the context of deceased and living donation, and health insurance for living donors.
The Declaration of Istanbul website links to several excellent recent publications reporting on organ trafficking and transplant tourism. It also includes recent news on this topic as well as information on volunteering as member of the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG).
