Category: China

Medical journal to retract paper after concerns organs came from executed prisoners

Study published in Liver International examined the outcomes of 564 transplantations at Zhejiang University’s First Affiliated hospital in China

The Guardian

A prestigious medical journal will retract a scientific paper from Chinese surgeons about liver transplantation after serious concerns were raised that the organs used in the study had come from executed prisoners of conscience.

The study was published last year in Liver International. It examined the outcomes of 564 liver transplantations performed consecutively at Zhejiang University’s First Affiliated hospital between April 2010 and October 2014.

According to the study authors, “all organs were procured from donors after cardiac death and no allografts [organs and tissue] obtained from executed prisoners were used”. . . .[Full text]

 

Testimony of Wang Guoqi

Former Doctor at a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hospital

United States House of Representatives
Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights

Introduction
Wang Guoqi was a doctor at a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hospital who willingly participated in organ harvesting from executed prisoners. However, after a particularly gruesome experience he experienced a conflict of conscience and tried to avoid further involvement in the process. His initial attempt was rejected and he was met with various forms of pressure to continue his participation. He eventually left China and appeared before a subcommittee of the US House of Representatives, where he provided the following testimony.

My name is Wang Guoqi and I am a 38-year-old physician from the People’s Republic of China. In 1981, after standard childhood schooling and graduation, I joined the People’s Liberation Army. By 1984, I was studying medicine at the Paramilitary Police Paramedical School. I received advanced degrees in Surgery and Human Tissue Studies, and consequently became a specialist in the burn victims unit at the Paramilitary Police Tianjin General Brigade Hospital in Tianjin. My work required me to remove skin and corneas from the corpses of over one hundred executed prisoners, and, on a couple of occasions, victims of intentionally botched executions. It is with deep regret and remorse for my actions that I stand here today testifying against the practices of organ and tissue sales from death row prisoners. . . [Full text]

Testimony of Wang Guoql

Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights
United States House of Representatives
27 June, 2001)

Introduction:

Wang Guoql was a doctor at a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hospital who
willingly participated in organ harvesting from executed prisoners. However,
after a particularly gruesome experience he experienced a conflict of conscience
and tried to avoid further involvement in the process. His initial attempt was
rejected and he was met with various forms of pressure to continue his
participation. He eventually left China and appeared before a subcommittee of
the US House of Representatives, where he provided the following testimony. [Full text]

Chinese health care workers and the ‘one-child’ policy

Since at least1991, Australia has been faced with Chinese women who apply for refugee status because of China’s ‘one-child policy.’  Senate committee hearings were conducted into the matter. One of the witnesses, who identifed herself by the pseudonym “Dr. Wong”, was heard by the committee in February, 1995, and July, 1999. The following extracts provide some information about the operation of the ‘one-child policy’ and the coercion of health care workers. [Full text]