Control Yuan Initiates Investigation into Doctor Convicted of Illegally Brokering Organ Transplants to China

Control Yuan member Tien Chiu-chin announced today that she has initiated an automatic investigation into a case where a physician was convicted for illegally brokering patients to receive organ transplants in China. The investigation aims to understand the current management mechanisms for overseas organ transplants and the implementation of administrative investigations. Media reported that a physician surnamed Chen was indicted by the Changhua District Prosecutors Office under the Human Organ Transplantation Act for brokering nine patients to receive liver and kidney transplants in China for profit. Dr. Chen was sentenced to a two-year prison term, suspended for five years, and fined NT$5 million in the first instance, a verdict upheld by the appellate court. In a press release today, Tien stated that Dr. Chen, during his tenure at Changhua Christian Hospital, was found to have repeatedly brokered patients for organ transplants in China for a fee and provided surgical guidance, violating Taiwan's 'Human Organ Transplantation Act' and being convicted by the Taiwan Changhua District Court. Tien mentioned that this case has raised public questions about some physicians being involved in organ transplant brokerage and violating medical ethics. After months of correspondence with relevant agencies, she has now formally applied for an automatic investigation. Tien stated that international norms such as the World Medical Association's 'Statement on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation' and the 'Declaration of Istanbul' strongly oppose organ transplant tourism and forced organ harvesting, which violate human rights. As organ transplantation profoundly affects patients' right to life and donors' basic human rights, and the medical profession carries a high degree of social trust and ethical responsibility, actions that severely violate medical ethics have a significant impact on the medical community's image and human rights values. Tien pointed out that it is necessary to thoroughly investigate whether Taiwan's traceability mechanism for citizens receiving organ transplants abroad is sound, whether current regulations have loopholes or need improvement, and whether the competent authority has genuinely conducted an administrative investigation into the violation of medical ethics by Dr. Chen as determined by the court.