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WHY ARE KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PATIENTS SOMETIMES GIVEN ANTIBODIES FROM RABBITS?

Doctors say the use of antibodies, called Anti Thymocyte Globulin, from a rabbit or horse, is effective in helping kidney transplant work.

They are deemed the most effective because they have a wider, more superior set of blood proteins which can identify change.

The use of rabbit cells, which have been used in humans for the past 35 years, is common to help fight infections due to the amount of natural antibodies the mammal makes because of its larger spleen.

Lorna Marson, Kidney Research UK former trustee and a consultant transplant surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, said: 'Essentially ATG is a very safe treatment which is very effective in significantly reducing the likelihood of patients rejecting.

'It's commonly used in complex patients such as this, where they may have had multiple transplants and what it does is significantly dampen the immune system.' 

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