Bill passed to bridge organ demand-supply gap and curb trafficking in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly approved the A.P. Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on Wednesday, aiming to address the disparity between organ supply and demand, while also combating organ trafficking. The state's Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1995, which aligns with the central legislation of 1994, required amendment due to modifications made to the central act through the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act, 2011.

This amendment sought to align the state legislation with the evolving medical needs and ethical considerations. It primarily governs human organs and tissues including skin, cornea, heart valves, tendons, and bone marrow, expanding the legal framework to incorporate these additional tissues. The 2011 Amendments broadened the definition of 'near relative' to encompass grandparents and grandchildren, thereby facilitating a larger pool of living donors without burdening unrelated donors with complex approval processes.

Additionally, they introduced provisions for swap donations, enabling families to facilitate successful transplants by allowing incompatible donor-recipient pairs to exchange donors. The amendments also strengthened procedural safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals, explicitly prohibiting organ or tissue extraction from mentally challenged persons and minors.

They addressed international concerns by mandating authorization from a committee for foreign nationals and prohibiting Indian nationals from donating to foreigners unless they are near relatives. The amendments also allow for the appointment of independent practitioners as brain death certifiers in the absence of specialized neurologists, provided they are not part of the transplant team.