BEIJING, April 6 (Reuters) - China will formalise a ban on the trade in human organs, state media said on Friday, further tightening regulation over a market critics say has been beset by illegal practices, often involving organs of executed prisoners.

The regulation, issued by China's State Council, or cabinet, is effective from May 1, and does not apply to transplants of human tissue, including cells, cornea and marrow.

"The regulation stipulates that human organ transplants should respect the principle of being voluntary and free donation," the official Xinhua news agency said.

China last year cracked down on the trade and commercial use of corpses and the Health Ministry issued rules that banned the sale of human organs. The State Council regulation formalises the ban and gives it greater legal authority.

Hospitals also require written consent of donors and the number of hospitals allowed to perform transplant operations is restricted.

Rights groups have accused Chinese hospitals of turning to lucrative organ sales and transplants to raise funds, and say many of the organs come from executed prisoners.

About two million people in China need transplants each year, but only 20,000 operations are carried out because of shortages in the country where religious and cultural taboos have traditionally proved a stumbling to promoting donations.

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