Director Po-Chang Lee honored as Special Contribution Award recipient for advancing organ donation

 At the ceremony, organ donation coordinators were praised for their irreplaceable role in helping terminally ill patients fulfill their final wish of giving others a chance at life.

Professor Po-Chang Lee, former Director-General of the National Health Insurance Administration and former Chairman of TORSC from 2011 to 2020—now serving at Taipei Medical University—was also present and conveyed deep respect and heartfelt appreciation to all outstanding organ donation coordinators.

During his nine-year tenure as TORSC Chair, Professor Lee led several pivotal reforms that shaped Taiwan’s modern organ donation system. His key contributions include:

• Integrating 11 organ procurement networks into four regional systems—North, Central, South, and East—significantly improving fairness, coordination, and efficiency in organ allocation.

• Implementing the “Surrender and Gain—Priority Allocation Program,” granting first-degree relatives and spouses of registered donors priority in future organ allocation, strengthening public trust and participation in organ donation.

These initiatives laid the foundation for TORSC’s continued development and expanded public awareness and support for organ donation nationwide. In recognition of his long-term dedication and transformative impact, Professor Lee received the Special Contribution Award for Organ Donation.