Genetically Modified Pigs to be Bred for Organ Transplant Harvesting

NaturalNews) A British lord and fertility researcher has announced plans to breed genetically engineered pigs, for the purpose of harvesting their organs for transplant into humans.

"Pigs' organs are the right size for human transplantation, and they work similarly to human organs," said Lord Winston, head of the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at Hammersmith Hospital in London.

Health professionals have attempted to transplant organs from animals into humans before, but research in the field dropped off in the late 1990s when early transplant attempts were rejected and attacked by recipients' bodies as foreign tissue. Concerns over the possibility that transplants could facilitate the spread of diseases from animals to humans also contributed to a drop in the field's popularity.

Now Winston and colleagues from Imperial College want to revive the idea by breeding pigs that contain six human genes, in order to decrease the chances that the pigs' organs will be rejected by human bodies. They have formed a company called Atazoa that has successfully created transgenic pig sperm, but their research stalled due to strict British regulations over transgenic animals.

"One of the biggest problems in Britain is the regulatory framework. It's been very difficult to get this sort of animal work going," Winston said.

The researchers initially had to wait 13 months before they were licensed to genetically modify the pigs, then were told that regulations prohibited breeding genetically modified animals on agricultural land.

In response, Atazoa has moved its research to the United States, which has drastically fewer regulations concerning genetic research on animals. The researchers will breed the pigs with genetically modified sperm in Missouri, and hope to produce a fully modified animal within the next two years. After that, they hope to begin clinical trials to demonstrate that the genetically engineered organs are safe for human transplant.

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Philippine authorities assure public it is safe to eat pork

By Channel NewsAsia's Philippine Correspondent Christine Ong | Posted: 27 January 2009 0035 hrs MANILA : The Philippine Health Department is assuring the public that it is safe to eat pork.  This is even though it recently confirmed that a farm worker had been infected with the Ebola virus, from contact with pigs.  Business used to be brisk in the district of La Loma in Quezon City, which is known as the Lechon Capital of the Philippines.  Nena Cesario, Lechon Maker, said: "Business is slow. Not too many people are buying lechon, maybe because of the hard times and they think there is a problem with the pigs."  The Health Department recently announced that a farm worker has been infected with Ebola-Reston antibodies.  It is the first known case of the virus jumping between pigs and humans.  But health officials said there is little immediate health risk.  They also said the farm worker is healthy and has had no serious illness in the past 12 months.  According to the Department of Health, eating pork remains safe, and so most Filipinos still continue to savour the delicious taste of the lechon, especially its crispy and crunchy skin.  Some regular patrons said they cannot resist pigging out.  One of them said: "A lot of people are eating lechon and they are still alive, so I am not afraid to eat it because it is really delicious."  Another added: "As long as there are people selling lechon and eating lechon, I will continue to eat it because it is my favourite."  But authorities are reminding the public to take general precautions in handling and cooking meat.  They also advise them to buy meat only from stalls certified by the National Meat Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture.  Dr Enrique Tayag, National Epidemiology Center, said: "Do not undercook the meat, you have to cook it adequately so that you kill any viruses or any other bacteria."  The government ban on pork exports is still in effect, while more tests are being done on the other farm workers that may have been exposed to the virus. - CNA/ms Source

MRSA in pigs and pig farmers

http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2009/01/mrsa_in_pigs_and_pig_farmers.php

Japan praises Irish handling of pork scare

HARRY McGEE

THE JAPANESE government praised the Irish Government for its handling of the discovery of dioxin in Irish pork products, Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith said yesterday.

Mr Smith met his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, yesterday and said the meeting had been very successful. He said opportunities existed to greatly expand Irish food produce to one of the world’s biggest markets.

“[Mr Ishiba] commended us very strongly on the action we took when we had the pork recall incident over dioxin. It was his view and that of his department that we acted very decisively and made the right decisions. We were transparent and open with the public,” Mr Smith told The Irish Times.

Irish pork produce makes up one-quarter of Irish exports to Japan. The overall value of exports bound for Japan is €90 million, of which pork products, mostly frozen, are worth more than €20 million.

He said that following the meeting, there were many opportunities for increasing agricultural trade between the two countries.

“Japan is only 40 per cent self-sufficient in food. It is a country that has a population of 128 million people. We believe there is a great potential to expand the market we have in pork products and in sea food and in dairy products,” Mr Smith said.

The possibility of the Japanese market being reopened for Irish beef was also raised during meetings the Minister held with the ministries of health and agriculture yesterday. Beef from all EU countries is excluded from the Japanese market because of the BSE outbreak of 2000.

Mr Smith said the incidence of BSE was very low in Ireland. In 2008, there were 24 cases in total, down from a high of 355.

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Pork/ham eaters, homosexuals are both unclean

Published on: 1/6/09.

GREETINGS THROUGH our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

What is the difference between pork/ham eaters and homosexuals?

We read in Leviticus 11-7: The swine though he divide the hoof and be clove-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud: he is unclean. What I am saying is that pork/ham eaters are disobeying God.

Romans 1 26-27 says for this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: Verse 27, And likewise also the men, having the natural use of the woman, burned into their lust, one toward another: men working that which is unseemly: God is looking on, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was met. I am inviting my readers to read the remaining verses.

Quite recently I read in THE NATION newspaper, "Gays to mark seven years". It said members of the United Gays and Lesbians Association of Barbados would mark the seventh anniversary of the group on Sunday with a service at the Church of the Glorious Christ, River Road, St Michael, starting time is 5 p.m.

I am wondering how that service was conducted. Did they sing hymns? How did they pray? Did they have a sermon and where was it taken from? Did they pray and thank our Almighty God for the seven years as a group? And did they ask him to bless them to see many more? I would like that church to read Verse 32 . . . "who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them".

Do you see the difference between the pork/ham eaters and the homosexuals, both are disobeying God.

Do we know that it is only one sin in this world and that is disobeying God? But there are many, many, many ways to disobey Him which we call sin. 

Pork/ham eaters say it is sweet, and I believe homosexuals will say it is sweet also. But thank God I know that both are, as the Bible puts it, unclean.

– MERTON KINCH

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Swine industry hopes 2009 brings positive change

By Blair Koch, Ag Weekly correspondent

The pork budget for 2009 was set with zero expectation for growth, said Independent Meat Company CEO Patrick Florence.

In fact, Florence said the nation, Independent Meat included, will probably process less pork than last year. The move comes as customers bypass pork products for cheaper meat as they cut back spending.

“For 2009, we’re looking forward to lower production. It looks like we are going to see, nationally, processing levels at 96 percent of 2008,” he said.

Like every other sector in the nations economy, the swine industry is holding its breath to see if 2009 will turn around the recession or if things get worse.

While emerging markets are there to capitalize on, from Asia to Mexico, the big question is what will happen over the next three or four quarters.

“Price expectations have altered because we’ve had significant economic changes. For six to eight months out, there is some question on the demand side,” Florence said.

Kuna Hog Farmer Brad Thornton doesn’t expect a turnaround soon and slashed his herd size drastically, taking losses now before they get worse, he said.

“Things are changing, around the world, so rapidly, but I don’t think it’s going to get much better until the end of 2010,” Thornton said.

In the meantime, industry officials are trying to promote pork with the USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service’s Pork Checkoff Program.

The national pork checkoff, implemented in 1986, was designed to strengthen the position of pork and pork products in the marketplace. It is funded by U.S. pork producers and importers who pay 40 cents per $100 of value when swine are sold and when swine or pork products are brought into the United States. Funds collected are used for promotion, research and consumer information programs.

According to information at the National Pork Board Web site www.pork.org, funded by the checkoff, the program has helped increase domestic demand and has introduced pork abroad.

The USDA AMS recently conducted a request for referendum on the program. USDA Conservation Specialist Glenn Patrick explained the referendum will address whether or not producers and importers want the program to continue.

“The Request for Referendum is to see if producers want to continue with the marketing program,” Florence said.

AMS will conduct a referendum on the order if at least 15 percent of the total number of eligible pork producers and importers request it.

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