EU cautioned not to use animal organs

Antidote Europe has issued an urgent caution against the idea of transplanting animal organs into people.

The public health advocacy group Antidote Europe issued an urgent caution today against the idea of transplanting animal organs into people. An announcement released on 16 June in the scientific journal Kidney International by a team of Belgian researchers suggests that genetically altered pig organs could soon be transplanted into people, stating: “Today we are on the threshold of the first clinical trials.”

Antidote Europe has contacted the Belgian Minister of Health and the EU commissioner for public safety, Stavros Dimas, to warn them of the dangers to public health of embarking on such an experiment. Says Antidote Director Dr Andre Menache, “At a time when government authorities are concerned about the transmission to people of diseases such as bird flu, how can they justify the idea of transplanting animal organs? In addition to the risk of transmitting unknown viruses, the basic problems of rejection still exist. Rather than solving health issues, this will create dangerous new ones.”

References

“Xenotransplantation: Where are we in 2008?” B. Sprangers, M. Waer & A. D. Billiau.Kidney Int, 2008 74: 14-21 (advance online publication, April 16, 2008; 10.1038/ki.2008.135).