1.   Every year, surgeons perform transplants using kidneys from cadavers and from living, related donors, such as siblings or parents.

2.   As recently as last year, a family accused three doctors of hastening the death of a relative so his kidneys could be used for transplant.

3.   As recently as last year, a Japanese family accused three doctors of hastening the death of a relative so his kidneys could be used for transplant.

4.   However, in Europe and Japan, doctors have started using kidneys from newly dead people whose hearts have stopped beating.

5.   Thais are travelling to China for costly organ transplant surgery using kidneys extracted from executed convicts, surgeons say.