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Electronic Telegraph 10,000 pigs killed
in transplant labs SCIENTISTS have killed around 270 monkeys and more than 10,000 pigs during research into animal-to-human transplants in the past four years, the Home Office disclosed yesterday. The revelation has outraged MPs who have called for an inquiry into the ethics of using animal organs for transplants into humans. Nearly 10,000 transgenic pigs, bred with human genes, have been killed in experiments to transplant animal hearts and kidneys into humans. Scientists have also killed around 270 monkeys in tests to find animal alternatives to human donors. MPs and animal welfare groups say that the use of so many animals is questionable on ethical grounds. Animal welfare groups say that the use of 10,000 pigs far exceeds expectations and that ministers should focus on persuading more people to give organs. Scientists have yet successfully to transplant a pig organ into a human. They are still trying to find ways of tackling the body's rejection of transgenic pig organs, and have encountered several types of rejection in tests, including "acute vascular rejection" and rejection involving white blood cells. The human genes in the pigs have helped overcome the first stage of rejection, which usually occurs within hours of a transplant. Primates which have received pigs' kidneys and hearts in experiments have yet to survive with the new organs. Sarah Kite, of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, said: "We are clearly still years away from any clinical application of animal-to-human organ transplants. It is outrageous that such a large number of animals have died as a result of this technology. What the government should be doing is implementing an opt-out donor card rather than pursuing an ethically and scientifically dubious path." The disclosure of the number of animals used was in a letter from Mike O'Brien, the Home Office minister, to Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, East Sussex. Mr Baker said: "The minister needs to give an urgent statement and unless there is compelling evidence that these experiments are worthwhile they should be stopped forthwith." The Government has allowed research into the use of pigs for transplants with human genes because of the shortage of human donors. The Government's watchdog on xenotransplantation has drawn up guidelines for people receiving animal organs. These will include a pledge never to have children and submit to life-long monitoring.
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