Hospital admits live organ 'trade'

The hospital at the centre of a row over organ retention has admitted for the first time that it gave organs from live children for research purposes in return for cash.

Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital has admitted taking the organs and giving them to a pharmaceutical company in return for cash donations.

While the practice is thought not to be without precedent among hospitals, many parents, even those aware that organs are retained, may not know about the role of pharmaceutical companies in their disposal.

And the idea of "payment" in return for body parts still leaves many doctors uneasy.

The latest development centres on the removal of thymus glands from children during complex heart operations at the pioneering hospital.

Between 1989 and 1995 these glands, found beneath the breast bone, were given to pharmaceutical company Aventis Pasteur for research purposes.

In return the company donated money to the hospital's cardiac department.

The consent forms signed by parents prior to operations commonly ask for permission to keep organs for "research purposes", without explicitly making it clear that they may be given to a drug company laboratory - although this is where much detailed research takes place.

Parents of the Alder Hey support group have branded the practise as "disgusting and grotesque".

Families are awaiting the results of the government report into the revelation of widespread organ and tissue retention at the hospital, which will be published on Tuesday.