Written question asked by Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 July 2003. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 July 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the Government's policy is on the use of animals to provide organs for humans. - Includes ref to Animals (Science Procedures) Act 1986.

Answer: Mrs Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's policy is on the use of animals to provide organs for humans. [122334] Ms Rosie Winterton: The United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA) was established in 1997 to advise the Government on the acceptability of specific applications to undertake Xenotransplantation procedures (the transplantation of live cells, tissues and organs from a non-human source into a human), it also acts as a focal point for Xenotransplantation issues. Organisations undertaking research into Xenotransplantation in the UK are required to comply with all relevant legislation. Noclinical trials involving humans have yet been approved in the UK and currently no relevant organ transplant research is licensed in the UK under the Animals (Science Procedures) Act 1986.

Secondary information