HUNDREDS of people have signed up to the National Organ Donor List started by the Vsiaka Nedelia (Every Sunday) television show.
The list was begun when Professor Milan Milanov announced on air that he was ready to donate his organs after his death, and was closely followed by President Georgi Purvanov. Others who have publicly supported the initiative include Interior Ministry chief secretary Boiko Borisov, and actors Marius Kurkinski, Tsvetana Maneva and Yavor Milushev.
"The list may become the basis for the creation of a Potential Donors' Register but only after the Transplantation Act becomes effective," 24 Chassa quoted Professor Milanov as saying.
The implementation of the act has been put on hold after Purvanov vetoed legislation, earlier approved by Parliament, insisting on a more liberal system of organ donation.
As it stands, the act allows the transplantation of cells, tissues or organs only with the consent of the donor. Purvanov has demanded a return to the previous law, which presumed the donor's consent and any unwillingness to donate organs had to be expressly stated before death.
If the MPs overthrow the veto, individuals will have to sign a declaration of their consent to be donors, which will be kept in their medical records.
Purvanov said he had vetoed the legislation because he wanted to increase the chances of sick people waiting for donors. MPs pushed through the change in order to restrict an illegal trade in cells, tissues and organs.
Bulgarian news agency BTA recently reported that US company Osteotech might be connected to the trade in organs. MPs said the contract with this company, signed by the Health Fund, was one of the reasons leading to the replacement of former health minister Bozhidar Finkov.
It also emerged that the US government has asked for Bulgaria's political support to fight the development of human cloning techniques.
The US, together with Spain and Italy, has filed a draft resolution with the UN that would ban human cloning. Bulgaria, which hopes to become a EU member in 2007, must comply with the Union's common position, which is yet to be announced.
The proposed Cells, Tissues and Organs Transplantation Act allows the cloning of human embryos only for use as cell, tissue or organ donors.
The list was begun when Professor Milan Milanov announced on air that he was ready to donate his organs after his death, and was closely followed by President Georgi Purvanov. Others who have publicly supported the initiative include Interior Ministry chief secretary Boiko Borisov, and actors Marius Kurkinski, Tsvetana Maneva and Yavor Milushev.
"The list may become the basis for the creation of a Potential Donors' Register but only after the Transplantation Act becomes effective," 24 Chassa quoted Professor Milanov as saying.
The implementation of the act has been put on hold after Purvanov vetoed legislation, earlier approved by Parliament, insisting on a more liberal system of organ donation.
As it stands, the act allows the transplantation of cells, tissues or organs only with the consent of the donor. Purvanov has demanded a return to the previous law, which presumed the donor's consent and any unwillingness to donate organs had to be expressly stated before death.
If the MPs overthrow the veto, individuals will have to sign a declaration of their consent to be donors, which will be kept in their medical records.
Purvanov said he had vetoed the legislation because he wanted to increase the chances of sick people waiting for donors. MPs pushed through the change in order to restrict an illegal trade in cells, tissues and organs.
Bulgarian news agency BTA recently reported that US company Osteotech might be connected to the trade in organs. MPs said the contract with this company, signed by the Health Fund, was one of the reasons leading to the replacement of former health minister Bozhidar Finkov.
It also emerged that the US government has asked for Bulgaria's political support to fight the development of human cloning techniques.
The US, together with Spain and Italy, has filed a draft resolution with the UN that would ban human cloning. Bulgaria, which hopes to become a EU member in 2007, must comply with the Union's common position, which is yet to be announced.
The proposed Cells, Tissues and Organs Transplantation Act allows the cloning of human embryos only for use as cell, tissue or organ donors.
