Tissue and compliance

Human tissue is not a commodity in South Africa.

The National Health Act makes it an offence to sell or trade in human tissue except as provided for in the Act, carrying a fine or imprisonment of up to five years. The Act permits a registered health care provider to receive remuneration for a professional service rendered.

McQuoid-Mason D. South African Medical Journal. 2012;102(9)

What that means on this site

Corneal tissue listed on this site is not offered for sale. There is no price on any listing, no ordering of any kind, and no mechanism on this site through which a transaction can take place. Evolution Vision’s charge is an administrative fee for the service of sourcing, importing and delivering tissue, and it is not a payment for the tissue itself.

How a listing works

A listing has two states. Available means the tissue is ready to ship. Placed means it has been issued. There is no reserved state, no pending state, and no way to hold a listing.

An enquiry is a conversation. It is not an order and it creates no obligation on either side.

What is on a listing

Tissue type, donor age, endothelial cell density, death-to-preservation time, expiry date and intended procedure. Nothing identifying a donor appears on this site, in any form, at any time.

Where the tissue comes from

Tissue is sourced through Lions World Vision Institute, a non-profit eye bank, and through Vision Share, a cooperative of eye banks. Evolution Vision is a commercial company, not a non-profit. Corneal tissue is handled as a cost-recovery service rather than as a commercial line.

Questions

Anything on this page can be raised directly at enquiries@evolution-vision.com or 082 992 0596.