The Lower House, by a 263-167 vote Thursday, passed a bill to (1) recognize brain death as actual death and (2) allow organ transplants from a brain-dead person of any age if his or her family members approve and if the person had not openly rejected the possibility of becoming a donor.

The bill would revise the 1997 Organ Transplant Law, which allows organ donations from a brain-dead person at least 15 years old only if that person had indicated his or her intention of becoming a donor in writing, such as on a donor's card, and if his or her family members approve the organ donation.

At present, there is no public consensus on whether brain death should be accepted as actual death. The bill clearly represents a departure from current law, which does not recognize brain death as actual death and allows organ transplants only from people who accept brain death as actual death. It is regrettable that the Lower House passed the bill without rousing a wide public debate on the issue. The Upper House needs to examine the bill carefully and hear opinions from various segments of the public.