In conjunction with The Transplantation Society (TTS), the Spanish “Organización Nacional de Trasplantes” (ONT), has been recognized by the award of the highly prestigious Premio Principe de Asturias for International Cooperation. The previous winners of this award include Nelson Mandela, Al Gore, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Helmut Kohl, Lula da Silva, the WHO and other equally prestigious contributors to the goal of international cooperation. The Prize will be received by these two organizations from Prince Felipe of Spain in the city of Oviedo on October 22nd, 2010.

President Asif Ali Zardari today signals top-level personal support for a new national organ transplantation service by signing an organ donor card to bequeath his organs upon his death. The new service is based on donations from deceased donors. It prohibits commercial transplantation and outlaws the organ trade.

The Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PHILNOS) has been established under Administrative Order 2010-0019 that set rules on "organ donation and organ transplantation involving deceased donors in the country."

People needing organ transplants should face shorter waiting times after Parliament approved on Wednesday a draft directive on quality and safety standards for human organs used for transplants. The directive covers all stages of the chain from donation to transplantation and provides for cooperation between Member States. MEPs also adopted a resolution on an Action Plan for organ donation.

The World Health Organisation and the European Union have led the way in tackling the problem, the Madrid conference on organ donations and transplants heard.

KARACHI- The approved “Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Bill” will benefit the patients of end stage organ failure of kidney, liver, heart, lungs and pancreas, as the practice of organ transplantation will ultimately be enhanced in the country.

CAIRO: Egypt's parliament voted by an overwhelming majority on Saturday to regulate organ transplants in a bid to curb illegal trafficking and tourism over the issue. The law bans commercial trade in organs as well as transplants between Egyptians and foreigners, except in cases of husband and wife.

JAPAN.As part of a revision of the Organ Transplant Law, donors will be permitted from Jan. 17 to give priority for the receipt of their donated organs to their relatives, before other changes are brought in. The lawmaker-sponsored revision to the law, passed in July, will go into full effect in July next year and will abolish the current minimum age of 15 for donations from brain-dead organ donors.

Living donation increased 42% and the number of individuals who presented for donation evaluation increased 74% at centers in New York, a recent study found.