Thiruvananthapuram:Keralam Minister K Muraleedharan on Thursday said organ trading must be strictly prevented, but stressed that appeal committees should take practical decisions to protect patients’ lives when transplantation applications are rejected.

In a Facebook post, the state Health minister said legal experts on the appeal committees should pay particular attention to the issue while examining applications for organ transplantation.

He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Smrithi Vandhanam 2026’, organised by the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation to remember deceased organ donors and honour their family members.

The minister honoured the families of 39 deceased donors who donated organs between August 2025 and August 2026.

“Organ trading must be strictly prevented. At the same time, when appeal committees reject applications, legal experts should ensure that the patient’s life is not put at risk and that practical decisions are taken to save the patient’s life,” he said.

Muraleedharan described the families of organ donors as an unparalleled example to society, saying they had come forward to help save other lives despite the immense grief caused by the loss of their loved ones.

“The pain of losing a loved one, especially a child, is unbearable. That families come forward to make such a sacrifice for another life even in such moments of intense grief is a noble act that must not go unrecognised by society,” the minister added.