Vietnam's 16th National Assembly heard submissions and appraisal reports on draft laws concerning human tissue and organ donation, removal and transplantation, as well as amendments to several healthcare laws, during its second session on October 21.
Expanding the pool of tissue and organ donors
Presenting the draft Law on Human Tissue and Organ Donation, Removal and Transplantation and Donation and Recovery of Human Cadavers, Health Minister Dao Hong Lan said the legislation aims to turn public health policies into law and improve the legal framework for these activities.
The draft has seven chapters and 39 articles covering the donation, retrieval, transplantation, management and use of human tissues, cells, related products and organs. It also seeks to expand the donor pool, prevent illegal trading, protect donors and support regenerative medicine.
In an appraisal report, Nguyen Dac Vinh, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, called for a careful review of provisions on family members involved in donation and consent to ensure voluntary participation and prevent abuse, particularly when donors are under 18.
The committee acknowledged the humanitarian purpose of allowing minors to donate tissues, organs or their bodies, but urged further assessment of possible psychological, ethical and social impacts, as well as risks of pressure or coercion.
Cutting administrative procedures in healthcare
The eight-article draft law amends provisions of the Law on Children, the Law on Persons with Disabilities, the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the Law on Pharmacy, the Law on the Elderly and the Law on Health Insurance. It focuses on reallocating responsibilities, simplifying administrative procedures and business conditions, ensuring legal consistency, and strengthening the management of medicines and medical devices.
Proposed amendments to the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment would remove overlapping business conditions for healthcare facilities and simplify procedures related to medical service pricing. The draft also seeks to strengthen medical device management and address price increases caused by chains of intermediary transactions.
The committee broadly supported the proposed amendments but called for safeguards to ensure that removing pre-licence inspection requirements would not weaken state oversight of child protection services and care facilities for people with disabilities and older people.
It also urged clearer provisions to ensure that health insurance cardholders who choose medical services on request retain their entitlement to reimbursement within the coverage scope and benefit levels prescribed by law.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
