Council of Europe Black Sea Area Project: International Cooperation for the Development of Activities Related to Donation and Transplantation of Organs in the Region.

Background: In 2011, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare of the Council of Europe launched a 3-year collaborative project to address the organ shortage and improve access to transplant health services in Council of Europe member states in the Black Sea area (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation) through the development of safe and ethical donation and transplantation programs.

Objective: Support the development of donation and transplantation programs through close interstate cooperation between national health organizations and relevant stakeholders.

Methodology: Several work packages (WP) were established: WP1, project coordination (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare); WP2, development and implementation of an effective legislative and financial framework (Czech Republic and France); WP3, establishment of National Transplant Authorities (Italy and Portugal); and WP4, clinical practices (DTI Foundation).

[Egg donation: regulation of the donation and the hidden face of the cross-border reproductive care].

In France egg donation is not sufficient to meet the needs of infertile couples. As a consequence there is a long waiting time for those couples who may be driven to search solutions abroad. Nonetheless in some countries practice of egg donation raises medical and ethical questions regarding the quality of care provided to the recipients as well as the recruitment and follow-up of egg donors.