Context: 

The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has issued a warning against private websites and social media posts promoting and offering organs for trade.

More in the News:

• The organisation said the online promotion was in violation of the provisions of the Transplantation of Human Organ and Tissue Act, 1994 and Rules. 
• Such activities were punishable offences under Section 18 of the Act, with fines ranging from ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore and imprisonment from five to 10 years.

About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO):

• It is a national level organisation set up under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• It functions as the apex centre for all India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of organs and tissues and registry of organs and tissues donation and transplantation in the country.
• It has following two divisions:
  1. National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network
  2. National Biomaterial Centre
• Mandate: 
  • To establish a network for organ procurement and distribution.
  • To maintain a national registry on organ donation and transplantation.

Functions:

• Lay down policy guidelines and protocols for various functions.
• Network with similar regional and state level organisations.
• Compiling and publishing all registry data from States and regions.
• Creating awareness, promotion of organ donation and transplantation activities.
• Coordination from procurement of organs and tissues to transplantation when organs are allocated outside the region.
• Dissemination of information to all concerned organisations, hospitals and individuals.
• Monitoring of transplantation activities in the Regions and States and maintaining data-bank in this regard.

News Source: The Hindu

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