Animal Transplant Ban Lifted

At the end of 2009, Australia will lift a five-year ban on animal-to-human transplants, according to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). In 2004, the Australian government banned xenotransplantation—the transplanting of animal organs and cells into humans—citing concerns about potential health consequences. The ban will be lifted because subsequent research and scientific and technological advances indicate risks are low, NHMRC representatives confirmed on Thursday. Scientists in Australia and New Zealand have successfully used animal cells in humans to treat Type 1 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. Xenotransplantation is already legal in more than 14 countries, including the US, Japan, and New Zealand.