Activities of Miroslav MIKOLÁŠIK related to 2009/2104(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation - Action plan on organ donation and transplantation (2009-2015) (debate)
Standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation - Action plan on organ donation and transplantation (2009-2015) (debate)
Amendments (22)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to the report by David Matas and David Kilgour entitled 'Bloody Harvest. The killing of the Falung Gong for their organs',
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas it is recognised that, ideally, the best way of fighting against organ trafficking and trafficking in personthe trafficking of organs and of human beings for the purpose of the removal ofing organs is to increase the number of available organconstitutes a severe violation of human rights,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas there is a strong link between illegal organ trafficking and the trafficking of persons for the purpose of removing organs and the legal system of organ donation because, on the one hand, the non-availability of organs in the legal system acts as an incentive for illegal activities, and, on the other, illegal activities severly undermine the credibility of the legal system of organ donation,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas living donation rates also differ substantially between Member States, and it seems that not all Member States realise their potential for living donationcan be a helpful additional measure for patients who cannot get the organ they need via post- mortem transplantation, but emphasising that living donation can only be considered if any illegal activity and payment for the donation has been ruled out,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the proposal to establish a European Action Plan on Organ Donation and Transplantation for the period 2009- 2015(2009-2015) adopted by the European Commission in December 2008, which sets out a cooperative approach between Member States through a set of priority actions, based on the identification and development of common objectives and the evaluation of donation and transplantation activities through agreed indicators that might help to identify benchmarks and best practices;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that to ensure that organs available for therapy are not wasted, it is important that there are no legal barriers tois a clearly defined legal framework regarding their use and that society trusts the donation and transplantation system;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes the activities of Eurotransplant and Scanditransplant, but notes that exchanges of organs outside these systems and between these systems can be significantly improved, especially for the benefit of patients in small countries;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 (renumbering)
Paragraph 9 (renumbering)
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that donation should be voluntary, unpaid and altruistic, and take place in clearly defined legal and ethical contexts;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Endorses measures which aim at protecting living donors and ensuring that organ donation is made altruistically and voluntarily, without any payment other than compensation which is strictly limited to covermaking good the expenses and inconvenience relating to donationincurred in donating an organ, such as travel expenses, childminding costs, loss of earnings or recovery costs, prohibiting any financial incentives or disadvantages for a potential donor; urges Member States to define the conditions under which compensation may be granted;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on Member States to reach the full potential of deceased donation by establishing efficient systems for identifying organ donors and by promoting transplant donor coordinators in hospitals across Europe; asks Member States to evaluate the use of organs from "expanded" criteria donors, taking into account (i.e. older donors or those who have certain diseases), taking into account donor and recipient protection and the quality and safety aspects;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on Member States to explore the promotion of donation from living donors as a complement to deceasedEmphasises that living donation should be seen as subsidiary to post- mortem donations and should only serve as a last resort where no suitable alternative, such as organs from a deceased donor, is available; advises the Member States to allow living donation only among close relatives and between spouses owing to the implicit danger of exploitation; insists that Member States that extend living donation to other groups must have strict regulations in place to prevent any kind of pressure being exerted or payment being made for the donations; .
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Stresses that living donors should be treated in accordance with the highest medical standards and without any financial burden for themselves when a medical problem occurs which is caused by the transplantation process, and any loss of earning as consequence of the transplantation or any medical problem should be avoided. The donors should be protected against discrimination in the social system.
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Points out that there is a link between organ shortage and organ trafficking and trafficking in persons for the purpose of the removal of organs; eEmphasises that any commercial exploitation of organs that denies an equitable access to transplantation is unethical, is inconsistent with the most basic human values, contravenes Article 21 of the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine and is prohibited under Article 3(2) of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights; stresses that increasing organ availability in the Member States will contribute to a better control of these practices by avoiding citizens of the Union having to search for an organ outside the EU and national legislative and ethical frameworks;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Points out that the organ shortage and organ trafficking and trafficking in persons for the purpose of the removal of organs are linked in two ways: firstly, increased organ availability in the Member States would contribute to better monitoring of these practices, by obviating any need for EU citizens to consider seeking an organ outside the EU, and, secondly, illegal activity seriously undermines the credibility of the legal organ donation system:
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Repeats the recommendations on the fight against the organ trade made in the Adamou-report on organ donation and transplantation1 and takes the view that these should be taken fully into account by the Commission when drafting the action plan; insists that awareness of the problem within the Commission and Europol needs to be increased; 1 European Parliament resolution of 22 April 2008 on organ donation and transplantation: Policy actions at EU level (2007/2210 (INI))
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 c (new)
Paragraph 23 c (new)
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 d (new)
Paragraph 23 d (new)
23d. Welcomes the joint Council of Europe/United Nations study on trafficking in organs, tissues and cells and trafficking in human beings for the purpose of the removal of organs;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 e (new)
Paragraph 23 e (new)
23e. Notes the report by David Matas and David Kilgour entitled 'Bloody Harvest. The killing of the Falun Gong for their organs', and asks the Commission to present a report on the allegations made in the book to the European Parliament and the Council;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Strongly rejects the behaviour of some health insurance organisations in encouraging patients to participate in transplant tourism and asks the Member States to monitor strictly and punish such behaviour;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Emphasises that patients who have received an organ under illegal circumstances cannot be excluded from healthcare in the European Union; points out that as in any other case a distinction should be drawn between the punishment for illegal activity and the need for treatment;