The top health authority is launching an overhaul of illegal organ transplants at mainland hospitals, after reports surfaced that some hospitals are illegally doing organ surgeries for foreigners.

The Ministry of Health said that any of the 164 medical institutions qualified to carry out organ transplants nationwide will have their licenses revoked if they cannot pass the ongoing qualification re-examination.

The ministry has named 16 hospitals that it said failed to comply with regulations on organ transplants.