The regulations, which are published in the People's Daily, take effect on May 1.

China has been criticized for its organ transplant policies, particularly for the practice of selling organs harvested from executed prisoners, which is not addressed in the new rules.

However, they do limit the number of hospitals allowed to perform transplants, and they standardize the procedures.

Most organs used for transplants come from voluntary donations, said the country's official news agency Xinhua.

However, human rights groups argue that is not the case, contending that 90 percent or more of the organs used for transplants come from executed prisoners. Even if those individuals signed consent forms, they argue, the circumstances make it unlikely that it could be considered informed and voluntary.

There is an extreme shortage of human organs available for transplant in China, partly due to a cultural taboo on removing organs prior to burial. About 10,000 transplant procedures take place annually, but an estimated 1.5 million people require them, according to Chinese health officials.

The demand has spawned rampant abuses, leading Chinese legislators to push for reform.