Ukrainian parliament adopts law on transplantation

Some 231 MPs voted for such a decision on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

The bill specifies that prior to the launch of the Single State Transplantation Information System, but no later than January 1, 2020, the clauses of this law regarding the use of this system for organizing the provision of medical care through organ donation do not apply. At the same time, transplantation is organized on the basis of information contained on paper.

Before the launch of the system and within the next three months from the day it begins its work, the decision on the possibility or impossibility of transplanting anatomical material from a dead corpse to a recipient is made by a council of doctors of a health care institution in which the recipient was included in the list of those waiting for transplantation.

It is the National Health Service of Ukraine that will serve as the customer of medical services on transplantation as a highly specialized medical service, starting from January 1, 2020, in accordance with the law of Ukraine "On State Financial Guarantees for Medical Services to the Population."

The document expands a list of persons who are close relatives, adding cousins, uncles, aunts, and nephews to this list, which will expand the range of people for family donation.

The law foresees that a family physician may obtain consent for post-mortem organ donation and will have the right to submit such information to the Single State Transplantation Information System. The possibility of bone marrow donation from blood brothers or sisters under the age of 18 years is also envisaged.

In addition, the document specifies that only the international exchange of anatomical material is allowed, whereas hematopoietic stem cells are allowed to be bought or sold.

At the same time, amendments were introduced to Article 290 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, according to which a person under the age of 18 may be a living donor of hematopoietic stem cells.

It is envisaged that the adoption of this law will help minimize the negative consequences caused by the gaps in legislation triggered by the late development and approval by the executive authorities of subordinate legal acts needed for the implementation of law No. 2427 and will thus unblock the possibility of using such type of medical care in Ukraine as transplantation.

The law comes into force the day after its publication in the parliament's Hols Ukrainy newspaper.

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