Adoption of the organ donation guide in Saudi Arabia: new mandatory standards

In a strategic move aimed at governing the healthcare sector and standardizing medical practices, the Saudi Health Council has officially adopted the "Organ Donation and Transplantation Procedures Manual" as the primary and sole reference for all practices related to this specialized field within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Council has directed all healthcare facilities in both the public and private sectors to immediately implement and fully adhere to the policies outlined in the manual, based on the Human Organ Donation Law and its implementing regulations.

Mandatory application and directives of the Federation of Chambers

In response to this decision, the Federation of Saudi Chambers issued an urgent circular to the private healthcare sector, confirming that it had received official directives to adopt the new guidelines. The Federation emphasized in its letter that these guidelines represent the approved legal and medical reference, thus putting an end to individual interpretations in the highly sensitive medical and ethical field of organ transplantation. This regulatory framework is based on Article Fourteen of the Human Organ Donation Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/70) dated 19 Sha'ban 1442 AH, thereby granting the guidelines binding legal force.

Historical context and Saudi leadership

This initiative is not a recent development, but rather the culmination of the Kingdom's long history in the field of organ transplantation. Saudi Arabia was a regional pioneer in establishing the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, the first of its kind in the Middle East. Early religious edicts issued by the Council of Senior Scholars paved the way for this medical advancement, permitting organ donation under strict Sharia guidelines, thus making the Kingdom a model for reconciling medical progress with Sharia and ethical principles.

The importance of standardization and its impact

This guide is of paramount importance in standardizing complex medical protocols across the Kingdom's vast regions. Through this measure, legislators ensure that patients in any region receive the same level of service and care as those in major medical centers. The guide also aims to:

• Improving the efficiency and quality of services provided to donors and patients in need of transplants.
• Ensuring the safety of medical procedures and minimizing potential risks.
• Enhancing transparency and reliability in the Saudi health system, which encourages more members of society to register for donation programs.

Keeping pace with the Kingdom's Vision 2030

This regulatory move aligns with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program, one of the programs under the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which aims to facilitate access to and improve the quality of healthcare services. The existence of a unified and binding framework will contribute to reducing the long waiting lists for organ failure patients and will enhance the Kingdom's position as a leading destination for medical tourism and advanced medical services at both the regional and international levels.