Travel for transplantation

What you need to remember when considering a transplant:

1. It is illegal to seek, offer or receive payment or any reward for donating organs for transplant and it is also an offence to initiate, negotiate, advertise or be involved in buying or selling human organs for transplantation anywhere in the world. Anyone involved in the process is at risk of prosecution including a prison sentence.
2. Illegal transplants are less likely to be successful for both the patient and the transplant. If things go wrong, the UK transplant team may not have access to information they need to understand the cause of the problem and how to treat it
3. Getting a transplant quicker does not necessarily mean better but may tempt people to take risks they would not usually consider
4. Crimes related to organ donation and transplantation affect public confidence, which means that fewer people may volunteer to donate their organs after death or when they are alive, and everyone waiting for a transplant loses out
5. Anyone wishing to travel to the UK to be considered as a living organ donor can only be considered if:
   • All other possible living donor options in the UK have been explored first
   • The person has a close personal relationship with the intended recipient and can show evidence of their relationship to meet UK immigration and legal requirements
   • The transplant team are satisfied that they are a suitable donor and that it is the right decision for them
6. Transplant professionals are required by law to notify the Human Tissue Authority if they have:
   • a reasonable suspicion that an organ donation and transplantation related offence may have been committed under Human Tissue or Modern Slavery legislation
   • a patient who has received an organ transplant outside the UK