India was once a country where the poor received a pittance for selling their organs, while a section of doctors, hospitals and brokers cashed in on what was then a lucrative trade. Although the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, implemented to cut organ commerce, came into force in 1994, it wasn’t until more than a decade later that the ball was finally set rolling, when a kidney racket was exposed in an impoverished post-tsunami settlement close to Chennai.

Tamil Nadu’s story of shedding its dubious distinction of being a hub of organ commerce to leading the way for the cadaver transplant programme in India is now a fascinating study for medical students. It’s a leg-up for states that are still struggling to stem organ trade and spells hope for close to a million people for whom death is just a breath away.Experts who saw TN through its glorious transformation are seeking an active national programme to help replicate their trajectory in other states. Having a national registry, they say, will ensure judicious use of organs…..Readmore