CHINA. ORGAN SALES 'THRIVING', BBC NEWS REPORT

September 27, 2006: the sale of organs taken from executed prisoners appears to be thriving in China, an undercover investigation by the BBC found.
Organs from death row inmates are sold to foreigners who need transplants. One hospital said it could provide a liver at a cost of £50,000 ($94,400), with the chief surgeon confirming an executed prisoner could be the donor.
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes visited No 1 Central Hospital in Tianjin, seeking a liver for his sick father. Officials there told him that a matching liver could be available in three weeks.
One official said that the prisoners volunteered to give their organs as a "present to society". He said there was currently an organ surplus because of an increase in executions ahead of the 1 October National Day. (Sources: BBC NEWS, 27/09/2006)