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News Release
 Campaigners
slam cloned pig organ hype
"Bio-tech firms exaggerate significance of cruel experiments"
Anti-vivisection organisation Uncaged Campaigns has slammed the recent
news that biopharmaceutical firm PPL Therapeutics have produced cloned
pigs in a way that they claim 'should prevent their tissues being rejected
by the human body'. A specific gene, which contributes to the human body's
rejection of pig organs, has been knocked out.
This follows previous research conducted in 1992 in which pigs were
genetically engineered to achieve essentially the same result. In terms
of progress, the xenotransplantation industry is no further forward than
it was ten years ago.
Dolly the sheep who was cloned in 1996 has sparked a row after she was
diagnosed as having premature arthritis. Dolly was the only successful
birth out of 277 embryos created by nuclear transfer, the same process
by which the litter of piglets were produced.
There have already been a huge number of miscarriages and deformities
during cloning experiments on animals:-
- Cloning from adult cells may result in animals with shorter life spans
and increased susceptibility to cancers.
- A cloned calf developed heart problems, and then suffered a dramatic
fall in its red blood cells, resulting in death at only seven weeks of age.
- Animals are made to made to lactate early and continuously with hormone
treatments causing mastitis, lameness, general malaise and exhaustion.
Dan Lyons of Uncaged Campaigns states:
"Our research has revealed that xenotransplantation experiments
involving monkeys and the cloning of animals involve immense cruelty.
In addition, there are some very serious diseases that can be passed
from pigs to humans. Primate research into this area has not worked
in the past - there is no reason to think that this process is any further
forward. We are considering complaining to regulators regarding the
exaggerated claims that are designed to entice investment into the firm."
Related links:
Uncaged Campaigns 04.01.02
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