Some nations have subsequently strengthened their laws against commercial organ trade, including China, Israel, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
The development of the Istanbul Summit and Declaration was derived from a direction by the World Health Assembly in 2004 as it adopted resolution WHA57.18 urging member states 'to take measures to protect the poorest and vulnerable groups from transplant tourism and the sale of tissues and organs, including attention to the wider problem of international trafficking in human tissues and organs'.
[6] The Declaration emphasizes that organ trafficking and transplant tourism should be prohibited because they violate the principles of equity, justice and respect for human dignity.
The Declaration asserts that because transplant commercialism targets impoverished and otherwise vulnerable donors, it leads inexorably to inequity and injustice and should also be prohibited.
Although the World Health Assembly 2004 resolution was unambiguous in its objection to trafficking and transplant tourism, a comprehensive description of these unethical practices was still needed.