Friday 26 / July / 2024
Muscat: Minors in Oman can now donate organs to relatives if they meet certain criteria, according to a new ruling from the Ministry of Health.
This came as part of ministerial order 197/2018, which regulated organ donation laws among the living and deceased. It overwrote ministerial order 8/1994, which said that all donors must be over 18 years of age.
The decree says, "Transfers of organs and tissue from minors and legally incapable persons are allowed in necessary situations in order to obtain marrow. This law is applicable to a maximum of second-degree relatives, and must come in tandem with a written agreement by a legal guardian."
The transplant will not be allowed if there are other treatment options for the patient, or if the donor can be harmed by the procedure.
For those over 18, "Donors must be a 4th degree relative of the patients, and it is allowed to donate to non-relatives if the patient is in dire need of transplant, pending the approval of the related committee."
The new ministerial order also says, "Organs from the living can only be donated with written approval from the donor, and it is prohibited to exercise monetary, emotional, or psychological pressure to gain said approval."
Harvesting in all cases must be for medical reasons.
For the deceased, written approval from the donor or a legal guardian is required. To prove death in such a case, three reports from Cardiovascular, Brain, and ICU consultants are needed.
"Each medical institution licensed to transplant organs must have an internal committee presided over by at least three doctors, which has the task of approving transplant procedures. The committees must be formed by minister of health."
