Research Policies

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity is a member of the AMRC.

We support the principle of using animals in research when it is necessary to advance understanding of health and disease and to develop new treatments for children. This research only takes place where there is no alternative available.

All AMRC member charities support this principle, as outlined in this AMRC statement.

Yes, it does. Stem cells have several powerful and unique features that distinguish them from other types of cells. In particular, they have the unique ability to turn into almost any other type of cell in the body which could have wide-reaching implications for helping treat children with rare and complex conditions. There are several different types of stem cell:

• Adult stem cells: These come from tissues and organs in the body such as bone marrow – the tissue inside our bones. 
• Human embryonic stem cells: These come from a very early stage human embryo when it is a collection of cells known as a blastocyst.  
• Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs): These are a type of stem cell that can be generated from cells such as the root of the hair or the skin. Researchers have discovered ways of turning these cells into stem cells called iPSCs. These newly programmed cells have the potential to be turned into any type of cell body and serve as an exciting alternative source of stem cells. 

We support the use of all stem cells in research as long as the research meets legal and ethical requirements. This is because we believe that research using stem cells is advancing our understanding of the biology of childhood diseases and helping to develop new treatments and therapies for many conditions, which could help save the lives of our patients.

For more information please see our Stem Cell Policy