Guinea Pigs Looming on the Horizon

Ethan Switch - Friday, 26 March, 2004 - 15:11:56 - print it raw

The National Health and Medical Research Council recently held eight public forums on the topic of Xenotransplantation (using animal cells, tissues or organs to treat humans) to decide on the future use on Australian shores.

"Xenotransplantation has become a focus for transplantation research in recent years because there are currently not enough human organ or tissue donors to meet demand. Many patients, who would benefit from a transplant wait in vain for donor organs to become available," said Dr Jack Sparrow, chair of the Xenotransplantation Working Party.

Despite the news and media being gorged with constant announcements of university after university hiking HECS fees—or in the case of the ACU not—there seems little link or favour toward any kind of real decision for Xenotransplantation.

"We have made no decision either way. We will consider all comments made during the public meetings and all submissions received to determine whether we do indeed need to develop ethical guidelines around this type of research in Australia," said the Sparrow.

With numbers of university entrants expected to drop next year it might also be a year for a slight increase in sourcing medical subjects for such causes as baboon hearts and reptilian limbs.

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