The Ministry of Health will put human organ transplant under strict control within this year, according to Li Leishi, an academician with the China's Academy of Engineering.

Attending an academic symposium on human organ transplant, Li, also a professor with the Nanjing Military Area Command Hospital, said a licensing system will be established to help increase survival rate of patients, shorten patient's waiting time, lower the transplant expenditure, and use medical resources effectively.

The number of organ transplant cases in China increased to 6,000 in 2004. But some of the hospitals conducting transplant operations are not qualified.

Zhu Youhua, head of a military organ transplant research institute, said more than 40 hospitals in Beijing claims to be capable of conducting organ transplants. But most of them have done only one or two transplant operations.

Chen Shi, a member of the Chinese Medical Association, said before implementation of the system, the Ministry of Health will conduct investigation in hospitals to see if they are qualified.

The licensing system will also have clear requirements on the range or indications of organ transplant patients, according to Chen.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2005)