WHO and transplantation
In 1987, the World Health Assembly affirmed that the trade for profit of human organs among living human beings is inconsistent with the most basic human values. It contravenes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the spirit of the WHO Constitution. For this reason, the trade for profit of human organs resulted in the development of the Guiding Principles, a unified legal instrument to regulate transplantation WHA 40.13.
In 1991, the World Health Assembly approved a set of Guiding Principles that emphasize voluntary donation and non-commercialization of human organs. These principles also emphasize a preference for the use of cadavers over living donors and for the use of genetically related over non-related donors. While they have had a great influence on professional codes and legislation, these principles do not address access, safety and efficacy concerns. Moreover, inadequate supplies of human organs, cells and tissues to meet patients' needs for transplantation can lead to practices challenging the Guiding Principles. These practices include incentives for donation, profit on donated human organs or exploitation of the disadvantaged. For example, exploitation of living kidney donors and trafficking of human material for transplantation is reported in countries from each of the six WHO Regions.