Regulation for organ donation by minors

Minors in Oman can now donate organs to relatives if they meet certain criteria, according to a new ruling from the Ministry of Health.

This came as part of ministerial order 197/2018, which regulated organ donation laws among the living and deceased. It overwrote ministerial order 8/1994, which said that all donors must be over 18 years of age.

The decree said, “The transfer of organs and tissue from minors and legally incapable persons is allowed in necessary situations in order to obtain marrow. This law is applicable to a maximum of second-degree relatives, and must come in tandem with a written agreement from a legal guardian.”

The transplant will not be allowed if there are other treatment options for the patient, or if the donor can be harmed by the procedure.

For those over 18, “donors must be a 4th degree relative of the patient, and are allowed to donate to non-relatives if the patient is in dire need of a transplant, pending the approval of the related committee”.

The new ministerial order also said, “Organs from the living can only be donated with written approval from the donor, and exercising monetary, emotional, or psychological pressure to gain said approval is prohibited”.

Harvesting in all cases must be for medical reasons.