The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) adopted its position on new rules governing the use of so-called substances of human origin (SoHO) in the EU, with 59 votes in favour, four against and four abstentions. The law applies to substances – such as blood and its components (red/white cells, plasma), tissues and cells – that are used for transfusions, therapies, transplantations or medically assisted reproduction.

Voluntary and unpaid donations

MEPs insist EU countries should allow for compensation or reimbursement for losses or expenses, related to their participation in donations, to living donors. This could be facilitated through for example, compensatory leave, tax reductions or flat rate allowances set at the national level. They stress that compensation should not be used as an incentive to recruit donors, nor lead to the exploitation of vulnerable people. MEPs also want EU countries to enforce strict rules on advertising around SoHO…