The state Legislative Assembly, on Thursday, passed the Telangana Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, 2025, to ensure that viable organs from brain-dead patients are not wasted and are effectively utilised for transplants, while also cracking down on illegal organ trade.
Published Mar 28, 2025 | 9:26 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 28, 2025 | 2:43 PM
The move allowing medical practitioners, besides neurosurgeons, to certify death is to ensure that viable organs from brain-dead patients are not wasted and are effectively utilised for transplants. (iStock)
Synopsis: Telangana Assembly has passed the Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, 2025, allowing general doctors – beyond just neurospecialists – to certify brain death, thereby aligning with national organ donation laws. The legislation expands the scope of organ and tissue transplants, introduces stricter penalties for illegal trafficking, and integrates the state’s Jeevan Daan programme with national transplant networks.
In a significant policy shift, general physicians, surgeons, intensivists and anaesthetists in Telangana can now certify brain death – a determination that was previously limited to neurosurgeons and neurophysicians – bringing the state’s regulations in line with the Union government’s long-standing framework.
The state Legislative Assembly, on Thursday, 27 March, passed the Telangana Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, 2025, to ensure that viable organs from brain-dead patients are not wasted and are effectively utilised for transplants, while also cracking down on illegal organ trade.
The state will also establish centres for the collection and storage of organs and tissues to promote organ donation.
During the debate, Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha stressed the importance of adopting and implementing the Centre’s Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 2011, to streamline organ donation and transplant procedures across the state.
He noted that the THOTA was first enacted by Parliament in 1994, and later amended in 2011 to include tissue transplantation.
The current version of THOTA, released in 2014, is in effect in 24 states, and Telangana will now follow suit to strengthen its own organ donation framework.
The Act covers not only vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and liver, but also tissues like skin, bone marrow, blood vessels and heart valves. These may now be harvested from brain-dead donors for transplantation.
A key provision allows grandparents to donate to grandchildren, and vice versa, particularly aiding children with genetic disorders who require liver transplants.
To combat illegal trafficking, the law introduces stricter penalties, replacing the earlier punishment of a ₹5,000 fine and up to three years in jail. Offenders now face fines of up to ₹1 crore and imprisonment of up to 10 years.
The criteria for declaring brain death have also been updated.
An advisory committee will be formed at the state level to oversee organ donation and transplantation. Telangana’s organ donation programme, Jeevan Daan, will be integrated with National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), regional (ROTTO) and state-level (SOTTO) networks to facilitate cross-state transplantation.
Minister Rajanarasimha reiterated the state’s plan to set up collection and storage centres to improve transparency and efficiency.
He added that the reforms would also help boost medical tourism in the state. A formal policy will be developed to support the families of organ donors.
The bill also received support from the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Former Health Minister Harish Rao praised the initiative and pointed out that allowing all doctors to declare brain death will speed up the organ donation process.
He highlighted the success of the Jeevan Daan programme, noting a sharp increase in organ transplants in the state. In 2013, the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh recorded only 189 transplants. That figure rose considerably over the 10 years of BRS government:
Rao said Telangana now leads the country in organ donations and has received multiple awards in recognition of its efforts.
He recalled that, previously, patients had to travel abroad for transplants. But under the BRS government, 609 transplants were performed in state-run hospitals such as Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Osmania General Hospital, and Gandhi Medical College and Hospital.
He also drew attention to the cost of transplants and the government’s efforts to make them accessible. Under the Arogyasri scheme, 577 transplants were carried out free of cost, covering procedures worth up to ₹20 lakh. The government also provided free medicines for a year to transplant recipients.
Harish Rao urged families to take timely decisions regarding organ donation to save more lives. He proposed that the state conduct the last rites of organ donors with official honours, and recommended further support for donor families – such as Indiramma housing, admission for children in Gurukul schools, and free health insurance – to encourage wider participation in organ donation.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
