MEMBERS of foreign and Arab surgical circles have welcomed Egypt's passing of an organ transplant law, which aims at regularising organ transplants and curbing illicit trade in the most populous Arab nation, a specialist said on Wednesday. The surgeons, who have gathered in Cairo to participate in a key medical conference, said that before the law had been passed, the country became a regional "hub" for organ trafficking, Dr Mahmoud el-Meitini, the renowned liver transplant specialist. Dr el-Meitini, the chairman of the conference which started with the participation of more than 300 transplant specialists, said that the law opened a new era for Egypt. "After the law, thousands of licensed transplants will happen in Egypt every year because the patients (recipients and donors) trust the skills of local doctors, whose fees are by far cheaper that those of the foreign surgeons," he said. "The approval of this law is a wonderful step that creates hope for thousands of patients who have been waiting a long time for lifesaving transplant operations. It is also a significant step towards ending illegal organ trafficking, which usually results in operations conducted under unsafe conditions and harms both donor and patient," Dr el Meitini said.
