United States: Practitioners in Philadelphia Protest the CCP's Organ Harvesting Atrocities at the 2007 Organ Donation Congress

On November 12th, the 2007 Organ Donation Congress was held in the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The goal of this meeting was to address the worldwide organ shortage crisis with participating surgeons and scientists from 26 countries. Outside the hotel, Falun Gong practitioners from Philadelphia displayed banners to call attention to the ongoing organ harvesting atrocities in China.

Philadelphia practitioners protested the CCP's organ harvesting atrocities

According to the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), organ harvesting from living people is still taking place in China despite the Chinese Communist Party's open denials and enactment of new regulations on organ trading. Zhonghua Chen, deputy director of the Organ Transplant Division of the Chinese Medical Association, also serves as the lead surgeon of the "Brain Dead" research team in Wuhan Tongji Hospital and has performed 23 organ transplant operations using so-called "Brain Dead" donors. According to international medical ethical standards, organs should not be removed from these "Brain Dead" individuals because there is a conflict of interest in such cases. However, this practice continues in China and Chen claims 23 of 24 such cases reported in China to be successful. Outside the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, practitioners protested Chen's participation in this organ donation congress.

In a phone interview conducted by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), Wuhan Tongji Hospital acknowledged that some organs used by the hospital were from living Falun Gong practitioners. Chen is the director of the Organ Transplant Centre of the hospital. When interviewed by the South China Post, Chen said that the Chinese pay no attention to moral issues raised by organ transplantation. To his knowledge, he said that he only knew of about two dozens organ transplant cases in which the family members' permission was obtained. According to published data, Chinese doctors performed 3741 liver, 8103 kidney, and 80 heart transplants in 2005.

During a break at the 2007 Organ Donation Congress, Lori Tackett-Manes from the New Mexico Organ Donation Service Centre expressed her view of the organ harvesting atrocities: "This is absolutely illegal. It is inhumane and must be stopped. How can a doctor who has done such evil things be invited to give a talk?" Ms. Tackett-Manes said that her job is to save people while Chen's job is to kill people for money. She said that she would let more people know about Chen's crimes.

Outside the hotel, protester Jessica Russo said: "The CCP's organ harvesting atrocities are horrifying. This is not just a Falun Gong issue, it is related to all of us. We have the responsibility to end it." While there are nearly 100,000 American patients waiting for organs, she said: "This can be the excuse to kill, and we cannot allow this organ harvesting practice to continue."

According to WOIPFG, the organ harvesting crimes originate in labour camps, detention centres, prisons and hospitals throughout China. Since the persecution of Falun Gong started in July 1999, organ transplant cases in China have escalated and the total far surpasses the number of executed prisoners, suggesting that there are other organ sources. Meanwhile, phone investigations conducted by the organisation suggest that detained practitioners have been widely used by the CCP as organ sources.

Philadelphia resident Mr. Wu said: "We appeal to all kindhearted people to help us end the persecution of Falun Gong and the atrocities of organ harvesting. Under communist rule, many people have become indifferent to atrocities and thus have committed crimes, including killing of this kind. We also hope that Dr. Chen will stop killing innocent practitioners in his operating room."

Reportedly, an organiser of the congress said that they were against the horrifying practice of harvesting organs from living people and they regretted inviting Chen as a speaker.

With the growing awareness of the organ harvesting atrocities taking place in China, people around the world have taken concrete actions. In Taiwan, to prevent Chinese surgeons from soliciting patients, the Mainland Affairs Council has banned all commercial visits of Chinese transplant doctors, while purely academic visits will be also be closely monitored.