http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_265000/265933.stm
January 30, 1999
Setback for animal to human transplants
By Corinne Podger of BBC Science
The Council of Europe has voted for a moratorium on clinical tests of
animal organ transplants into human beings.
The decision will be a heavy blow to researchers working on the
technique, known as "xenotransplantation". It also means the global
shortage of human donor organs will have to be solved some other way.
Millions of dollars have already been poured into research on
transplanting animal organs into humans.
Most researchers have focused on pigs, which are highly compatible with
humans - and by adding some human genes to specially bred pigs, it
reduces the risk that transplanted animal organs will be rejected by
their human recipients.
But researchers have run up against persistent problems. These involve a
number of viruses which - while harmless to pigs - might pose serious
health risks to humans, and possibly cause new
human diseases.
While not banning the idea of animal organ transplants altogether, the
council of Europe voted to ban clinical tests on real patients in Europe
- and wants to see that ban extended worldwide.
As a result, any trials of the transplants, which might have gone ahead
in Europe this year, have been indefinitely postponed until more is
known about the potential hazards.
The council also expressed concern about the ethics of animal organ
transplants, both for humans, and for animal welfare.
With an international shortage of human organs for transplants, many
people die while waiting in vain for an organ - like a heart or a liver
- that they desperately need.
But with the council's decision, animal organs are not going to be the
answer - at least in the short term.
--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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