Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has ratified a law that would constitute a legal framework between doctors, donors, and patients Wednesday, according to The Peninsula .
The new law, however, stipulates that organ donation from donors not related to the patients is only permissible if it's an urgent case and is the only treatment possible. The law also states that children and individuals of unsound mind are prohibited from making donations, even if guardians give their consent.
The number of donors has skyrocketed since the launch of the country's first organ donation center in 2011, according to Doha News . Some 75,000 have registered as donors at the state healthcare provider Hamad Medical Corp after a successful Ramadan campaign that saw 30,000 new applicants to the program.
Those found to be trading human organs illegally will face a jail sentence that can go up to 10 years and/or the payment of a fine up to 1 million Qatari Riyals ($274,574).
The new legislation builds on the Human Organs Transplant Law (No. 21 of 1997).
Organ donors can at any point back out of a transplant deal without giving any reason. If the donor is deceased, legal heirs can go against the individual's wishes and stop any donation process.
As for medical professionals, they are instructed by the new law to explain in full to donors the advantages and risks of organ donation. A hospital or medical center must be licensed to perform the operation, and have an ethics committee on standby.
The donation of organs for scientific study, according to the new law, is prohibited if the donor is still alive. The transplant of genitals or genital tissues or cells, however, remains prohibited to guard against "confusion over lineage."