National Antivisection Society
Donate it, don
Celebrity supporters of the Lord Dowding Fund (LDF) back Human Tissue Campaign
Celebrity supporters of the Lord Dowding Fund (LDF), which has donated over £2 million to non-animal research projects, have given their full backing to the latest Human Tissue Campaign. The campaign urges people to donate tissues for life-saving research, which would otherwise be thrown away as surgical waste.
Popstar Chrissie Hynde told LDF that she backs the campaign because: “It makes sense that human tissue should be more appropriate to use for medical research than tissue from animals. You’re welcome to mine.”
Twiggy Lawson also pledged her support to LDF for the campaign, saying: “I support the Human Tissue Campaign because it can replace the use of animals in research and testing which I find totally inhumane.”
Celia Hammond, ex-top model who runs the Celia Hammond Animal Trust, which protects and cares for animals, is also behind the campaign: “I support any initiative which will help to replace the use of animals in medical research. The increased use of human tissues and cells would reduce and hopefully eliminate the animal experimentation which so many people find abhorrent.”
These celebrities are especially keen to see a reduction of the 2.7 million animal experiments carried out each year in the UK, something which could result from human tissue being used more extensively. People can help by registering their willingness to bequeath tissues and organs after surgery or death for medical research*.
*There are a number of human tissue banks that collect such donations. These tissue banks have a system in place to register your willingness to donate tissues after death. This list is not comprehensive and you should consult your local hospital about further possibilities.
Bristol University . Bodies can be bequeathed specifically for research purposes or for training of student doctors. Bequest Office, Dept of Anatomy, University of Bristol, Southwell Street, Bristol BS2 8EJ. Tel: 0117 928 7415
Cambridge Brain Bank. Brain bank facility with attached research laboratory. Donated tissue is used at Cambridge, and by other researchers in the UK and abroad. Cambridge Brain Bank Laboratory, Box 235 Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ. Tel: 01223 217336
London : MRC Brain Bank . Provides human brain tissue for research into neurological disorders. Donor information packs available. MRC Brain Bank, Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF. Tel: 020 7848 0290. Email: brainbank@iop.kcl.ac.uk
London : Multiple Sclerosis Tissue Bank. Procures brain, spinal cord and other tissues for use in research into multiple sclerosis. Brain tissue can be bequeathed by donors with or without MS. Tissue from healthy non-MS brains needed. Information packs, donor cards and newsletter available. The M.S. Tissue Bank, Division of Neuroscience & Psychological Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8RF. Tel: 020 8846 7324 Email: msbank@ic.ac.uk Emergency 24 hour donor line on 07693 300 300
London : NeuroResource. Tissue bank providing post-mortem tissue from patients with neurological diseases, stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, central nervous system trauma, brain tumours and normal controls. Donor information and registration possible, and donor card with contact numbers provided. NeuroResource, Institute of Neurology, 1 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ. Tel: 020 7278 1338
London : Parkinson’s Disease Society Tissue Bank. Accepts donations of brain tissue from patients with or without Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. Tissue from healthy individuals is especially needed. Donations accepted from across the UK. Donor packs and cards available from UK Parkinson’s Disease Tissue Bank, Division of Neuroscience & Psychological Medicine, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, Charing Cross Campus, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF. Tel: 020 8383 4917 Email: pdbank@ic.ac.uk Emergency bleep number 07693 554466
London Neurodegenerative Brain Bank . Collects human brain tissue, both healthy and diseased, for research into neurological disorders. Donor information packs available. The Brain Bank, Department of Clinical Neuropathology, PO Box 76, Academic Neurosciences Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, SE5 9RS Tel: 020 7848 0290Email: brainbank@iop.kcl.ac.uk
London : Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders . Collects post mortem brain for research into neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, dementia and others. Tissues are supplied to researchers worldwide. Donation consent form available from: Susan Stoneham Administrator, Queen Square Brain Bank, Institute of Neurology, 1 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ. Tel: 020 7837 8370 Email: s.stoneham@ion.ucl.ac.uk
London: South West Brain Bank , Collects brain tissue from dementia and non-dementia brains. Donations possible. Dept of Care of the Elderly, John James Building, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol BS16 1LE. Tel: 0117 970 1212 ext 2270
London : Medical Training. You can leave your body for the teaching of anatomy to medical students by contacting HM Inspector of Anatomy, Room 611, Wellington House, 135-155 Waterloo Bridge Road, London SE1 8UG. Tel: 0207 972 4551
Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource . Collects post mortem brain from healthy older people and patients with neurological disease. No registration system yet in place and donations needed within 24 to 72 hours of death. Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource MRC Building, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6BE. Tel: 0191 444 4412
Nottingham Tissue Bank. Collects brain and some other tissues for internal research. Nottingham Brain Bank, Dept of Histopathology, Queens Medical Centre, University Hospital NHS Trust, Nottingham, NG7 2UH. Tel: 0115 970 9726
Peterborough Hospital Research Tissue Bank keeps a Body Donor Register for individuals, living within 150 mile radius, who want their tissues to be used for research purposes after their death. Information pack and registration from available from The Tissue Acquisition Centre, 2nd Floor, Sutton Wing, Peterborough District Hospital, Thorpe Road, Peterborough, Cambs. PE3 6DA Tel: 01733 875892 Email: info@bodydonation.org.uk Website: http://www.bodydonation.org.uk
Sheffield Tissue Bank . Collects brain and spinal cord tissue from both healthy individuals and patients with brain disorders. Academic Neurology Unit, Division of Genomic Medicine, E Floor, Medical school, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX. Tel: 0114 271 3579
Please help us end the abuse of animals, please make a donation today…
action alerts