For good or bad the brave new world creeps foward every day.

P conlon, Nowood, Ohio, USA

Hey!
Wait a minute, Pigs only live about 8 years, max of about 10 years. What happens to the pigs kidney in you then?

Can anyone answer that, what kills the pigs so early anyway

Martin Smith, Reading, Berks

Adds a whole new dimension to the old saying "in a pig's eye".

Dennis, Raleigh NC, USA

I received a pig valve to replace my main heart valve 6 years ago. I take no drugs whatsoever, and the beat, as heard through a stethoscope,is indistinguishable from a normal human valve. I run a carpet cleaning business and work exceedingly physically hardand,yes, I do sweat like a pig.Go forth.

Michael Wadsworth, Wigan, England

Is this kosher?

Eldras Ellis, london, uk

That you may be afflicted with a disease that effects an organ does not give you a right to mine. What I chose to do with my body when I die is my business. The government doesn't own me and they don't have the right to decide what to do with my remains.

jtcade, easton, usa

This already happened; see Al Franken in Minnesota, USA

Jim, Anderson, USA

Not to mention the millions of babies aborted every year, Dwight. It will be decades before the first complex organ is grownt from stem cells. Just outside the envelope are heart valves grown on a shaping scafold from existing muscle cells. Whole organs? not in my lifee time, maybe late in yours.

garrett, Louisville, CO, USA

Lord Winston might care to read this scientific paper which was published over 12 years ago.
"Cozzi E, White DJG. (1995) The Generation of Transgenic Pigs as Potential Organ Donors for Humans. Nature Med: 1 (9) 964-966."
I hope he has better luck with the regulatory authorities than we did.

David White, London, Canada

Dwight, from what you sis says, anything would be an improvement.

Harry, San Antiono, Tx, USA

Nostradamus predicted that within this century we would utilize pig organs, and that eventually most humans will be made up of these parts and live much longer. Progress can be exciting but scary. Should we mess with the parts we were given?

Miranda, Key West, USA

I am sorry to brake it to you Becky but the American Medical Community are not leading the world in porcine organ transplant.
Porcine valve insertion is common place all over the world and has been for some time.
Implanting an organ is a totally different matter to using inert connective tissue.

Tim, London, uk

Seems like a great idea to save people. I do hope they can clone human parts one day, which woudl be the best solution.

SP, Nashville, USA

The American medical community in the US is already using pig organs to treat patients. Last week my father had a heart valve replaced with a "tissue valve," a pig's heart valve from a company called Medtronic. Dad's surgeons said they personally do 5-6 surgeries like this per month.

Becky, Grand Rapids, USA

As a kidney patient waiting on a transplant, and having had a previous transplant, I would also be happy to accept a pigs organ for transplantation. My only concern is that while the supply of organs increases, will the funding to carry out these additional transplants be available?

Brian, Fife, UK

I had heart surgery 1 1/2 years ago and have a pig valve. I took no anti-rejection drugs, and other than for the fact I "oink" once in awhile everything has gone wonderfully well. Good luck to researchers!!! Great informative article.

Basil Kakafoochie, Boston Ma, USA

That is nice that Sarah has her "new" kidney, not everyone is so lucky. Having had a father who waited 4 years for his kidney and watching him suffer as a dialysis patient with infection after infection, I can tell you this is much needed science!

Rob, Kensington, USA

To Sarah: As someone who is waiting for a kidney I would gladly take a pig organ. Stem cell research may in fact provide organs, but it won't be any time soon, certainly not 3 years. What's really absurd is millions of people being buried with organs that could save lives.

Lenny Sword, Cape Coral, FL, USA

Pigs are the closest match to humans in terms of organ compatibility. If your brother or sister needed a heart or kidney transplant to survive - your attitudes would change. Why absurd? Humans already transplant their own organs and we eat the meat from these animals on a daily basis, why the issue?

Maya, London, UK

This is not only absurd and dangerous, but totally unnecessary!!!

The medical community is making major breakthroughs in stem cell treatments, including growing organs from scratch. It's coming! As a kidney transplant recipient, I'd MUCH rather have my own kidney than a pigs. Wasted money.

Sarah, SF, USA

It's a paradox of the human condition that this species will go to great lengths to save the individual, yet is prepared to sacrifice millions on the battlefield. Does this research mean that in ten years time, I'll be able to order a curly dick?

Dwight Vandryver, Scholar Green, UK

A little known fact ... Poor people don't get Hearts, Lungs or Kidneys, these parts are not sold ... but the only way you will ever get an Organ, is if you have the insurance or cash to afford the Doctors and the Drugs ... a "Viable" candidate has both, and otherwise good health and sanity ...

Michael, Sparks, NV, USA

Gordon Brown has already made a pigs ear of the post of Prime minister

Terry Henderson, Manchester, Greater Manchester

There's already a solution to the organ shortage problem. Let people sell their organs to the highest bidder. Iran is the only country in the world that does it and the only country without a wait list for organs. But maybe it's more ethical to let people die or to FORCE people to give up organs.

Alex, Santa Clara, CA, US of A