TG adopts THOTA Act to tighten organ transplant laws

The Telangana government has adopted the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 2011, aiming to expand organ donation, streamline transplant procedures and impose stricter penalties for illegal organ trafficking.
 Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha announced the adoption of THOTA in the Legislative Assembly, to save lives and improve medical infrastructure in the state.  
The THOTA Act of 1994, which focused solely on organ transplantation was amended in 2011, which also permits tissue transplantation. The Central government implemented THOTA regulations in 2014, and Telangana now joins 24 states in adopting the law, said Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha.
Under the new Act, transplantation is no longer limited to organs like the heart, kidney and liver – it now includes tissues such as skin, bone marrow, blood vessels and heart valves, increasing opportunities for life-saving procedures.  
To curb illegal organ trafficking, THOTA significantly increases penalties.
 Earlier law is Rs 5,000 fine and up to 3 years in prison.  THOTA penalty is Rs 1 crore fine and up to 10 years in prison for violations.  
Minister Narasimha stressed that strict enforcement of these penalties will protect vulnerable patients and prevent exploitation in organ transplantation.  
Previously, only neurosurgeons and neuro physicians were authorised to declare brain death. Under THOTA, this authority is now extended to physicians, surgeons and intensivists.
  Telangana will now integrate Jeevandan (the State organ donation programme) with national networks like NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization), ROTTO (Regional), and SOTTO (State-level).
This means organs retrieved from brain-dead donors in other states can now be allocated to Telangana patients, improving access to transplants.  
Transplant coordinators will be appointed in hospitals to oversee brain death declarations, organ donations, retrieval and transplants.  
 The government will establish organ and tissue collection centers, storage facilities and transplant units to ensure a transparent and efficient donation process.