World Health Assembly Resolution WHA57.18
In response to a request from the Government of Colombia, WHO undertook a study of the current issues in organ and tissue transplantation. On 28 May 2003, the WHO Executive Board, having considered the resulting report from the Secretariat, requested that the subject be re-examined and a preliminary report submitted to the Board. With advice from a wide range of experts and specific support from transplant specialists in France, Spain and the United States, WHO carried out a consultation process that culminated in a meeting in Madrid from 6-9 Oct. 2003 [pdf 320kb]. At this meeting, 37 clinicians, ethicists, social scientists and government officials from 23 countries, representing all WHO regions and all levels of economic development, closely analysed issues of global concern regarding the ethics, access and safety of tissue and organ transplantation. The report by the Secretariat was accepted by the Executive Board, which on 22 January 2004 adopted a resolution recommending action by the World Health Assembly in May 2004.
On 22 May 2004, the 57th World Health Assembly adopted a slightly amended version of resolution WHA57.18.
The WHO Secretariat is now at work on the tasks set forth in that resolution and will report back at a later date to the Assembly.