130A-413. Coordinated human tissue donation program; legislative findings and purpose; program established.

(a) The General Assembly finds that there is an increasing need for human tissues for transplantation purposes; that there is a continuing need for human tissues for the purposes of medical education and research; and that these needs are not being sufficiently filled at the present because of a shortage of human tissue donors. The General Assembly establishes a coordinated human tissue donation program to facilitate the acquisition and distribution of human tissues to promote the public health. For the purposes of this Part, the term "human tissue" includes cadavers.

(b) The Department shall establish and administer a coordinated program among departments and agencies of the State and all groups, both public and private, involved in the acquisition and distribution of human tissue to:

(1) Increase awareness of the need for human tissue donations and of the methods by which these donations are made;

(2) Increase awareness of the existing programs of human tissue transplantation and of medical research and education which employs human tissue and share information with the public;

(3) Study the problems surrounding the acquisition and distribution of human tissue and make suggestions for their solution;

(4) Disseminate information to health and other professionals concerning the techniques of human tissue retrieval and transplantation, the legalities involved in making anatomical gifts; and

(5) Arrange for the quick and precise transportation of donated human tissue in emergency transplant situations.

(c) All departments and agencies of the State and county and municipal law-enforcement agencies shall cooperate with the coordinated human tissue donation program instituted by the Department.