Use aborted foetus organs in transplants, urges scientist

by Suranee | March 31, 2009 at 12:53 am

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An Oxford University stem cell expert, Professor Sir Richard Gardner, has suggested using the "kidneys and livers from aborted foetuses" to be given to patients in need of a kidney transplant or liver transplant.

Kidneys and livers from aborted foetuses could be given to the desperately ill and ease the organ donor shortage, a leading scientist has claimed.

Professor Sir Richard Gardner, an Oxford University stem cell expert, said foetal tissues may offer a more realistic solution to the lack of organs than other technologies being developed.

But the proposal has horrified pro-life and Christian groups, who say it is 'morally abhorrent', and raises the prospect of abortions being timed to suit transplant patients.

Although the Professor says that "much research" is needed to confirm whether it would be effective, he is surprised that "such a possibilty has not been considered" since " experiments in mice have shown that foetal kidneys grow extremely quickly when transplanted to adult animals."

Calling for studies into the feasibility of transplanting foetal organs, Sir Richard, an advisor to Britain's fertility watchdog and the Royal Society, said he was surprised the possibility had not been considered, and that experiments in mice have shown that foetal kidneys grow extremely quickly when transplanted to adult animals.

Sir Richard said: 'It is probably a more realistic technique in dealing with the shortage of kidney donors than others.'

However, he added that much research would be needed to show such transplants were effective.