The Transplantation Society and the Spanish National Transplant Organization Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation 2010

At its meeting in Oviedo, the Jury for the 2010 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation, made up of Ms. María Jesús Álvarez González, Mr. Enrique Barón Crespo, Mr. José María Bergareche Busquet, Ms. Alicia Castro Masaveu, Mr. John Coatsworth, Ms. Consuelo Crespo Bofill, Ms. Silvia Escobar Moreno, Mr. Jorge de Esteban Alonso, Mr. Enrique Fernández-Miranda y Lozana, Ms. María Jesús Figa López-Palop, Ms. Isabel Gómez-Acebo Duque de Estrada, Ms. Laura González Álvarez, Ms. Gloria Fernández-Lomana García, Mr. Luis Lada Díaz, Mr. Ricardo Martí Fluxá, Mr. José María Martín Patino, Mr. Luis Javier Navarro Vigil, Mr. Yago Pico de Coaña y Valicourt, Mr. Francisco Pinto Balsemão, Mr. Luis Ruiz de Gopegui Miguel, Mr. Luis Sánchez-Merlo y Ruiz, Mr. Nicolás Sartorius Álvarez de Bohorques, Mr. Gustavo Suárez Pertierra, chaired by Mr. Antonio Garrigues Walker and with Mr. Teodoro López-Cuesta Egocheaga acting as secretary, has decided to bestow the 2010 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation on The Transplantation Society and the Spanish National Transplant Organization.

The Jury has taken into account the cooperation between these organisations and their contribution for scientific and clinical practice to facilitate organ transplants throughout the world, as well as the coordination of the donation, extraction, preservation, distribution and exchange of organs, tissues and cells in the Spanish health care system and internationally.

The Jury highlights the work of The Transplantation Society in establishing clinical practice guidelines, in order to develop advanced training programmes, and promote ethical standards, as well as scientific research.

The Jury also acknowledges the international leadership of the National Transplant Organization for placing Spain at the forefront of transplant systems worldwide and for the creation of the International Registry of Organ Transplantation, which has its headquarters in Spain, with public information from 98 countries.

Lastly, the Jury has valued the international cooperation between both organisations in ethical issues, towards the eradication of illegal trafficking of organs throughout the world, something that affects a growing number of people, especially children in the most underprivileged countries.

Oviedo, 16th June 2010