The Third China-International Organ Donation Conference, held on September 20-21, 2018, in Xi’an, conveyed several key messages and outcomes:
Jointly sponsored by the National Health Commission and the Red Cross Society of China, hosted by the China Human Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee and the China Organ Donation Administrative Center, co-organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission and Shaanxi Red Cross Society, and organized by the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, the conference highlighted China’s progress in organ donation and transplantation. Huang Jiefu, Chairman of the China Human Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, Guo Yanhong, Deputy Director of the Medical Administration Bureau of the National Health Commission, and Wang Ping, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Red Cross Society of China, were among the key attendees.
The conference emphasized that organ donation and transplantation relate to the value and dignity of life and societal fairness and justice. Since January 1, 2015, China has ceased using organs from executed prisoners, with voluntary citizen donations becoming the sole legal source of transplant organs. The theme, “Organ Transplantation in China on the World Stage,” evolved from the previous conference’s theme, signaling China’s intent to align its practices with its national context while gaining international visibility.
Statistics presented revealed that, as of September 9, 2018, 614,608 Chinese citizens had registered as voluntary organ donors, with 19,380 donations resulting in 54,956 organs transplanted—ranking China first in Asia and third globally. Projections indicated China could become the world’s leading transplant country by 2020. Huang Jiefu’s report showcased China’s system to both domestic and international audiences, celebrating the historic shift to voluntary donations as the only legal organ source.
The event included academic exchanges, such as a kidney transplantation sub-conference where Professor Zhu Tongyu from Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, presented insights from the 2018 American Transplant Congress (ATC), earning significant applause.
Despite progress, the conference acknowledged challenges: China’s late start in organ donation and the vast unmet demand for transplants mean current supply falls short. It affirmed the success of China’s transition while setting goals to refine laws, regulations, and policies to suit national conditions, recognizing that much work remains.
The conference conveyed optimism that, with increasingly standardized and orderly practices under the “Chinese Model,” more patients would benefit, reinforcing China’s growing role in global organ transplantation.
