welcome to organ trafficking research
This platform presents research projects on the human organ trade that are conducted by Erasmus MC's Organ Trafficking Research Group. We further provide information for interested audiences (e.g. students, researchers, law enforcement, law -and policy-makers, etc) about the complexities of this crime and the responses there-to.
The organ trafficking research group is based at Erasmus MC's Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This department is part of the recently established Erasmus MC Transplant Institute which houses one of the largest kidney transplantation centers in Europe.
facts and figures
- Organ trade constitutes the purchase and sale of organs for financial or material gain. It becomes human trafficking when persons are exploited for their organs through means of coercion, deception, fraud, etc.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 5% of all transplants globally (approx. 5000) are are performed illegally every year (WHO, 2007);
- The organ trade ranks in the top 5 of the world’s most lucrative international crimes with an estimated annual profit of $840 million to $1.7 billion (Global Financial Integrity, 2017);
- Only 16 convictions involving organ trade have been reported to the case law database of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2024).
- The most commonly reported form of organ trade is the trade in living donor kidneys. For more info about the crime, click here.
what we do
We are an enthusiastic and dedicated team of researchers that conduct empirical research on different facets of organ trade and trafficking. Our research is structured into various projects. Methods include a mix of qualitative and quantitative research strategies including systematic literature reviews, surveys, ethnographic research, crime scripting and network analysis.
We conduct research in countries across the globe and we focus on all stages of the organ trading chain, including organ buying, selling, the organisation of illegal transplants and law enforcement responses. We also explore alternative measures such as allowing financial rewards for organ donation. In addition, we advise governments and (inter)national organizations on how to address organ trade problems.
Our research is funded by organisations including the European Commission and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).