Andhra Pradesh passes bill to boost organ supply, curb trafficking

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed the AP Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to address the gap between demand and supply of organs and curb trafficking. The bill aligns the state law with the central Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act, 2011, which expanded the legal framework to include tissues such as skin, cornea, and bone marrow, and broadened the definition of 'near relative' to include grandparents and grandchildren, enabling more living donors without complex approvals.

The bill also introduces provisions for swap donations, allowing incompatible donor-recipient pairs to exchange donors, and tightens safeguards by prohibiting organ removal from mentally challenged persons and restricting donations from minors. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav told the Assembly that 5,920 people are currently awaiting organ transplants in the state, including nearly 3,000 for kidneys and 2,000 for livers. The government is considering increasing financial assistance to families of brain-dead donors from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh, a proposal sent to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

The minister noted that organs from one brain-dead donor can help up to eight people. Awareness programmes are underway, including an event in Visakhapatnam featuring badminton star P.V. Sindhu, to counter misconceptions about organ donation. The amendments also require authorisation committee approval for foreign nationals and prohibit Indians from donating to foreigners unless they are near relatives.