India outlaws trade in human organs

The Indian parliament has passed a landmark bill that outlaws trade in human organs and redefines death to allow organs to be taken from donors certified as brain stem dead. The Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, approved by parliament last week, is intended to put an end to India's thriving trade in human organs. The bill will pave the way for India's first liver and heart transplant operations and is also expected to make more kidneys available for transplantation. Parliamentary approval of the bill comes after five years of a nationwide campaign by the medical community and nongovernment organisations opposed to …