Press Release
LegCo Panel on Health Services visits the Big Data Centre of National Health Commission for Human Tissue, Organ Transplant and Medicine in Guangzhou (with photos)
The delegation of the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) Panel on Health Services conducted a duty visit to the Big Data Centre of National Health Commission for Human Tissue, Organ Transplant and Medicine (“Big Data Centre for Organ Transplant”) in Guangzhou today (29 July) to learn about the operation of organ donation, allocation, transplant and relevant system and mechanism in the Mainland. The delegation returned to Hong Kong in the evening.
Accompanied by the Centre’s Director, Professor WANG Haibo, the delegation first visited the China Organ Donation and Transplant Development Museum (“the Museum”), which showcases the development history of organ transplantation worldwide and in the Mainland from the 1950s. The Big Data Centre for Organ Transplant, where the Museum is located, is responsible for the operation and data analysis of various national medical data systems, including the China Organ Transplant Response System (“COTRS”). COTRS is highly recognized by the World Health Organization and The Transplantation Society. Since 2013, the National Health Commission has required that all cadaveric organ donated by Chinese citizens in the Mainland must be matched through COTRS. Allocation of donated organs outside the system is strictly prohibited.
The delegation also visited the COTRS Coordination Centre and learnt that the Centre’s 24-hour operation keep abreast of clinical data of organ donors and recipients nation-wide, as well as match and allocate organs according to the patients’ medical urgency calculated by an advanced real time mathematical model without human intervention to ensure fairness and impartiality.
The delegation then received a briefing from representatives of the Big Data Centre for Organ Transplant on the development of human organ donation and transplantation in the Mainland and exchanged views on establishing a standing cooperation mechanism for sharing organs for transplant of Hong Kong and the Mainland.
Members who participated in the duty visit were the Chairman of the Panel, Hon Tommy CHEUNG Yu-yan, and Panel members Hon SHIU Ka-fai, Dr Hon David LAM Tzit-yuen, Dr Hon Dennis LAM Shun-chiu, Hon CHAN Hoi-yan and Prof Hon CHAN Wing-kwong ; as well as non-Panel members Hon Dennis LEUNG Tsz-wing and Prof Hon William WONG Kam-fai. In addition, at the invitation of the Panel, the Administration and the Hospital Authority also sent representatives to participate in the visit.
Ends/Saturday, 29 July 2023
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The delegation of the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) Panel on Health Services visits the Big Data Centre of National Health Commission for Human Tissue, Organ Transplant and Medicine in Guangzhou today (29 July) to learn about the operation of organ donation, allocation, transplant and relevant system and mechanism in the Mainland. Photo shows the Chairman of the Panel, Hon Tommy CHEUNG Yu-yan (third left), and other LegCo Members, accompanied by the Centre’s Director, Professor WANG Haibo (first right), visiting the China Organ Donation and Transplant Development Museum.
LegCo Members learn the latest development of organ matching and allocation in the Mainland at the COTRS Coordination Centre.
Members of the delegation of the LegCo Panel on Health Services and representatives of the Big Data Centre for Organ Transplant pose for a group photo with their electronic China Organ Donation Volunteer Registration Cards.
LegCo Members observe the inscription by the Chairman of the China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, Professor HUANG Jiefu, for Hong Kong’s youngest ever heart transplant receiver, LAI Tsz-hei, and pose for a group photo.