"Presumed consent" is, in my opinion, fundamentally wrong - as the state does not own the bodies of the dead.

Doctors will still have to gain consent from the relatives of the dead person.

Doctors will succeed in gaining approval to remove organs only if they can make a good case for it, in which case we don't need the presumption of approval on the part of the dead.

The government is clearly hoping the population will be too apathetic to bother opting out (which I shall), rather than hoping to win the argument by any other means.

Clive, Epsom, England

I think this is great for people like me. I have had bipass surgery twice and now can not have it again. Only thing left is a transplant which will/could be rejected. Where can I sign up to be a test project for them growing me a new heart. I would do anything to live longer. bikerbob29

Bob Allen, Regina, Canada

amazing work, however it seems that these researchers have forgotten that the immune system will attack nearly ANY non-self proteins. Each of us carry different variants of the proteins that make up 'the skeleton' of the heart. The immune system will recognize and attack these proteins causing damage to the surrounding cells and the 'skeleton' which will result in rejection. patients are still going to be placed on strong immuno-supressants just like transplant patients now.

John Frum, Detroit,

So is this start of a new commercial chain store "Organs R Us"?
Like going down to Auto Zone for a new battery, you could stop
by the store and pickup a pair of new lungs.

Mike, Chula Vista, California

To Winston.

I am puzzled by your comment. You are claiming that a person will still die of cancer or other diseases, so you are saying that this has no practical value because it does not make a person immortal?

Clearly this is good news and a step in the right direction. Being able to create new organs for patients that cannot get a transplant is a huge improvement. Although we cannot do this currently this article and many others being published are proof that this technology will happen someday soon.

This isn't the fountain of youth, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. Science typically does not just jump from having no idea of how to create an organ, to the next day suddenly figuring it all out. It is a process, and this is proof that the process for organ creation is well on its way.

Josh, Chi,

To the aptly named boggyman666.... the Republican party won't have a problem with this at all. If you actually bothered to READ the above article, it says it takes the patients own stem cells, not stem cells from terminated embryos.

Embryonic stem cells have not provided any cures yet. Adult stem cells have. Republicans are not against stem cell research, just embryonic stem cell research which has as yet produced no results and come with the moral dilemma of taking one life to (not even, in this case) save another.

Joseph, Queens, NY

I would only hope that this would pass for consideration ,It opens the door for kids born with heart defects that never had a chance. But knowing the U.S They wont pass it . praying for a miracle.

Toni ( Nanna to a 3 yr old with HLHS.

toni, Bethlehem, PA

"Presumed consent" may be policy for awhile, but it presents an obvious conflict of interest. After a few people begin to suspect that their loved ones' lives were shortened by organ snatchers, there will be some outrage, and the policy will be reversed. I would think that Gordon Brown would have the sense to see that.

Joe, Red Oak, Iowa

boggeyman666 - you must not have read the article. It plainly states that the organs would be made with stem cells from the body of the person the organ was being grown for. This is not a fetal stem cell issue.

Ken, Knoxville, TN

this reminds me of the old Monty Python bit... can we have your liver? I'm not done with it yet... 's all right, you can grow another one...

whodat, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Medical Advances led to increased quality of life for humans, and shortened the life of the planet earth which is being destroyed by humans.

naro, nyc,

"The republican party will go crazy with this."

!!?What?!!

Ignorance is bliss, I guess... Just because of the mention that stem cells are involved in some scientific process doesn't mean the republican party is against that process... This is a great advancement and I hope it brings many who are suffering a chance at a normal life.

Justin, Albuquerque, NM

My biggest problem with creating any organ to originate life is does the lifeform (man or woman) continue to have a soul.

Cloning from scratch brings to light the possibilty of men and women without souls.

Charles, Euless, Texas, U.S.A.

opponents stem cell research or as you so bluntly put it "republicans" are against the use of stem cells harvested from embryonic tissue. The stem cells in this procedure are taken from a viable host who will later be the recipient of the new organs.
"The big advantage of such an approach is that organs so built would use stem cells taken from the patient so the body’s immune system would not reject them."
Thank you for staying informed. =)

RS, Houston, TX

This sounds great -- spare organs for all. Problem no. 1) Application of strict rules concerning death. 2) Presumption of consent . Ask the Falun Gong who have been eviscerated in vans,like it or not. Moral rules are plastic and quite deformable nowadays. Ask on our campus : human embryos for stem cells had a " moral status" and now these ethical problems ( originally ignored but now admitted ) are now no longer a problem because we have an adult source of stem cells. Voila! 3) Provision of round -the-clock medical teams for transplantation. There is more to transplantation than organ retrieval and implantation. Patient follow-up, drug regimens, biopsies etc. need to be considered. Pre-implant organs need pathologic examination to exclude disease. Where are the pathologists in the NHS on call 24 hours a day to do this. As it is the NHS advertises for pathologists in the USA.
Gordon Brown needs a stiff gin and tonic before he embarks on this crusade. The NHS is presently in a mess.

thomas warner, M.D., madison, wisconsin

You''ll still die from cancer or cerebrovascular disease even if they could eventually create cloned hearts from a patient's stem cells. The cost would be prohibitive as well. Not too excited about the practical value of this except maybe for young patients with heart disease who still have more than 40-50 years left on their biological clocks. This will have little to no use for folks over 50 even if it can be done at a cost that could be financed.

Winston, Epping, UK

The republican party will go crazy with this.

boggeyman666, Los angeles, ca

Finally, medical science has brought hope for sufferers of endless 'enhancement' drug emails as well as everyone that winces at those annoying double entendre televsion ads. Brings a new meaning to the phrase "grow your own".

Lindsay, Vancouver, BC, Canada

You'll go in for a tune up....new heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, etc......this is an exciting time. Happy 125th birthday !!

MP, MM, VA