Another article on LCT's application (not too good):
The director of an Auckland-based research company predicts the Government will today further stall a decision on whether to approve a controversial project that aims to transplant pig cells to humans.
Living Cell Technologies is to meet with Health Minister David Cunliffe at Parliament this morning to discuss allowing pig cell transplant trials (xenotransplants) in New Zealand.
The controversial issue has taken the Minister two years to consider.
Living Cell Technologies' medical director Bob Elliot said he would not be surprised if the Minister announced further delays.
"He's (Mr Cunliffe) been behaving in a very evasive way to date. My suspicion is he will find some other reason for not making a decision prior to the election," he said.
"And of course he may not be around after the election which relieves him of responsibility." A delay was as good as a no for the company, Mr Elliot said.
"We can't wait around any longer really.
We've got to move." If Mr Cunliffe approved xenotransplants it will open the gateway for Mr Elliot's company to do pig cells transplant trails, as a treatment for people with Type 1 diabetes, in New Zealand.
Successful trials have been done in Russia this year using islet cells from Auckland Island pigs.
Invercargill type 1 diabetic Pete Thompson was part of LCT's successful xenotransplant trials in the 1990s.
However, the trials were banned because of fears the cells could carry a potentially harmful virus called porcine retrovirus.
He said last week that the minister needed to hurry up and make his decision. A spokesman for Mr Cunliffe responded saying that allowing xenotransplants was a serious matter to consider because there was concerns over porcine retrovirus.
Living Cell Technologies has argued Auckland Island pigs do not carry the virus and the chances of them developing it was minimised because they would be kept in Southland.
Living Cell Technologies plans to build a piggery at Awarua, near Invercargill, to house its herd of about 40 Auckland Island pigs.
Mr Elliot said Southland's climate was too cold for the virus and also there were no other piggeries in the area, which limited contamination chances.
