A proposal by the Vice President of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, Amira Saber, to establish a national human tissue bank and facilitate tissue donation procedures after death has sparked controversy.
Saber explained that the debate surrounding the proposal has been divided into two camps: one that understands the nature of the proposal and the diseases it could help treat, and another that does not understand the meaning of tissue or its importance in creating natural skin as an alternative to expensive imported skin tissue.
The proposal aims to regulate human tissue donation by establishing an organized mechanism for donation and utilizing tissue banks to provide the necessary skin grafts for treating critical burn cases, especially among children.
Saber added that current legislation permits organ donation, but the lack of regulation and awareness has prevented its effective utilization – a problem the initiative aims to address.
“I will continue to follow up on the proposal with the relevant committees in the Ministry of Health and the Medical Syndicate,” she assured.
Benefiting burn victims
A consultant dermatologist and head of the Egyptian Society of Dermatology and Venereology, Omar Azzam, declared his support for the proposal.
Azzam added that burn patients with extensive burns require urgent surgical intervention, whether for skin grafting or other cosmetic procedures.
Traditional methods take months, sometimes years, leading to permanent scarring and disfigurement that can negatively impact their lives, he explained.
Modern techniques allow for the transplantation of natural skin after it has been prepared in a laboratory or stored in skin banks, he said.
According to Azzam however, this is only suitable for emergency cases, especially for children and the elderly, as it helps prevent fluid loss and infection, and significantly increases the chances of survival.
Skin donation is similar to other organ donations and that Egyptian law permits it, provided that medical and ethical procedures are followed.
The debate surrounding this issue should be viewed primarily from a humanitarian and medical perspective, not solely from a cultural or social one, he stressed.
A sensitive matter
A consultant in plastic and burn surgery, Sameh Saad al-Sherifi, a emphasized that the issue requires legislative and religious consensus, given its sensitivity and the potential it offers to save a large number of patients.
He explained that using donated skin after death to treat burn patients is a medical practice that has been in place for years in several European countries and contributes significantly to saving critical cases suffering from extensive burns.
A large number of social media users expressed reservations about the proposal, pointing to ethical and cultural concerns related to the idea of tissue donation after death.
